The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has, with one excep­tion, affirmed a tri­al court rul­ing deny­ing death-row pris­on­er Albert Reid​’s post-con­vic­tion chal­lenge to his con­vic­tion and death sen­tence. In a 5 – 2 deci­sion issued on September 22, 2021, the court upheld the deci­sion of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas that dis­missed Reid’s post-con­vic­tion peti­tion. The court remand­ed the case on the ques­tion of Reid’s com­pe­ten­cy to stand tri­al and assist in his defense, say­ing the tri­al court had not suf­fi­cient­ly its rea­sons for deny­ing that claim.

Former Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor, joined by Justice Christine Donohue, dis­sent­ed with respect to the denial of penal­ty-phase relief, say­ing Reid’s coun­sel had been inef­fec­tive for fail­ing to inves­ti­gate and present avail­able mitigating evidence.

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