Sermons made his ruling in the case of Hasson Bacote, who, as NBC News notes, was convicted of murder “along with two others in the 2007 fatal shooting of Anthony Surles, 18, during a home robbery attempt when Bacote was 20. The other two defendants in the case were convicted on lesser charges and later released from prison.”

During Thursday's general assembly session, three state senators introduced SB 94 with a short, direct title: Repeal Death Penalty.

The Racial Justice Act allowed people to challenge their death sentences if they could demonstrate race played a role in their trials.