‘Freeway Killer’ Appeal Refused by High Court

The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to hear the appeal of William Bonin, known as the “Freeway Killer,” who was sentenced to death for the murders of 14 young men and boys in California.

Bonin was dubbed the “Freeway Killer” because the bodies of his victims were found near highways and freeways. He was convicted in two separate trials, one in Los Angeles for 10 murders and another in Orange County for four murders.

He appealed the Los Angeles conviction, saying that his attorney, William Charvet, had a conflict of interest because Charvet also represented Bonin’s alleged accomplice who was a witness against Bonin and may have had an interest in the literary rights to Bonin’s life story.

The California Supreme Court rejected the appeal, saying that Bonin had not shown that Charvet’s performance as defense counsel was adversely affected by the conflict of interest.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-2 vote, refused to hear the appeal, upholding the California court’s ruling. At least four of the nine justices must vote to hear an appeal or it will be dismissed.

In another action, the court refused to become embroiled in a fight between environmentalists and the Bush Administration over Oregon timber and the northern spotted owl. The justices, without comment, let stand a ruling that threw out part of a lawsuit seeking to protect the owl from the asserted threat posed by logging operations.