BRUCE EARL WARD

DOB: December 24, 1956
Race: White
Gender: Male

County of conviction: Pulaski
Number of counts: 1
Race of victim: White
Gender of victim: Female
Date of crime: August 11, 1989
Date of sentencing: October 18, 1990

Trial Counsel:

Tom Devome

Previous post-conviction counsel:

Craig Lambert
319 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 205
Little Rock, AR  72201
501-374-3559

Sam T. Heuer
124 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 1650
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 372-0566

Current proceedings:

• Habeas petition pending in U.S. District Court, E.D. Ark., Case No. 5:03-CV-201 (before Moody, J.)

Last judicial decision:

• Denial of post-conviction relief affirmed by Ward v. State, 84 S.W.3d 863 (Ark. 2002).

Current Counsel:

• Appointed January 30 following the withdrawal of previous habeas counsel, on appeal before the Eighth Circuit

Joseph W. Luby
Public Interest Litigation Clinic
305 East 63rd Street
Kansas City, MO  64113
816-363-2795
jluby@pilc.net

Nick Trenticosta
Loyola Resource Center
7100 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA  70118

Reported Opinions:

• Denial of post-conviction relief affirmed by Ward v. State, 84 S.W.3d 863 (Ark. 2002).
   
• Appeal of denial of post-conviction relief remanded for preparation of a complete abstract. Ward v. State, 65 S.W.3d 451 (Ark. 2002).
   
• Sentence of death affirmed on direct appeal after new sentencing trial by Ward v. State, 1 S.W.3d 1 (Ark. 1999).
   
• Death sentence reversed on direct appeal after earlier remand and re-sentencing. See Ward v. State, 906 S.W.2d 685 (Ark. 1995).
   
• Conviction affirmed and sentence reversed on direct appeal by Ward v. State, 827 S.W.2d 110 (Ark.), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 841 (1992).

Significant legal issues:

• trial court's admission of a statement allegedly made to the victim by Mr. Ward, some two weeks before the crime, to the effect that Mr. Ward wanted to have anal sex with the victim
   
• alleged bias of trial judge

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