Jewish man sentenced to death by alleged antisemitic judge wins new trial in Texas

A Jewish man in the State of Texas who was sentenced to death by a judge who he believes to be antisemitic has won a new trial.

Randy Halprin, 44, was serving a 30-year prison sentence for child abuse and on 13th December 2000, along with six other inmates, escaped a maximum-security prison in South Texas, prompting a six-week manhunt. During this time, the men killed a police officer, and six of the seven surviving convicts were sentenced to death by Judge Vickers “Vic” Cunningham. Mr Halprin was sentenced in 2003 and was set to be executed on 10th October 2019. 

However, Mr Halprin argued that he did not shoot his gun at the police officer and was given an unfair trial due to Judge Cunningham’s alleged racism, and claimed that Judge Cunningham called him a “f**kin’ Jew” and “k*ke.”

Mr Halprin won a stay in Dallas County from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals where in June, Judge Lela Lawrence Mays heard out Mr Halprin’s argument and this week, granted Mr Halprin a new trial. She wrote: “Judge Vickers Cunningham possessed antisemitic prejudice against Halprin which violated Halprin’s constitutional right to a trial in a fair tribunal equal protection, and free exercise of religion.”

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