WORTHINGTON, MICHAEL

GENERAL INFORMATION

DOB: January 30, 1971
Race: White
Gender: Male

CRIME AND TRIAL

County of conviction: St. Charles
Number of counts: 1
Race of victim: White
Gender of victim: Female
Date of crime: September 29, 1995
Date of sentencing: January 4, 1999

TRIAL COUNSEL:

Joseph L. Green

LEGAL STATUS:

Current proceedings:

Habeas Petition pending in front of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Case No. 4:05-cv-01102, (Shaw, J.).

Last judicial decision:

Affirmance of circuit court's denial of post-conviction relief by Missouri Supreme Court, Case No. SC58783 (May 31, 2005).
Conviction and sentence affirmed (following guilty plea) on direct appeal by State v. Worthington, 8 S.W.3d 83 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 529 U.S. 1116 (2000).

CURRENT COUNSEL:

Kent E. Gipson
kgipson@pilc.net
Public Interest Litigation Clinic
305 East 63rd Street
Kansas City, MO 64113
(816) 363-2795
Fax: (816) 363-2799

Gino Batistti
Foley and Mansfield, P.L.L.P.
1001 Highlands Plaza Drive W. Ste 400
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 645-7788
Fax: (314) 645-9945

REPORTED OPINIONS:

Affirmance of circuit court's denial of post-conviction relief by Missouri Supreme Court, Case No. SC58783 (May 31, 2005).
Conviction and sentence affirmed (following guilty plea) on direct appeal by State v. Worthington, 8 S.W.3d 83 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, 529 U.S. 1116 (2000).

SIGNIFICANT LEGAL ISSUES:

Extent to which pecuniary gain and sexual assault-related aggravators meaningfully narrow the class of offenses for which the death penalty is available
Fifth Amendment claim regarding admission of incriminating statements made by defendant to psychologist, allegedly justified by defendant's putting his mental state "at issue" by requesting psychological evaluation to determine if he suffered from a mental disease or defect.

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