Man on death row since 1984 loses Supreme Court appeal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from a convicted killer who has spent more than 30 years on death row in Texas.

The justices on Monday rejected the appeal from Lester Bower of Arlington, Texas. Bower is facing execution next Feb. 10 for the fatal shootings of four people at an airplane hangar on a North Texas ranch in 1983.

Bower's appeal raised several issues, including his claim that other people were responsible for the deaths. He also contends that executing him now after being held for so long on death row would be unconstitutionally cruel.

Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor said they would have thrown out Bower's death sentence.