TALLAHASSEE, FL. (AP) - A Florida inmate who killed a female guard and a fellow prisoner has lost another round of appeals for his double murder conviction and death sentence.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against Dwight T. Eaglin. He already was serving a life sentence for murder at Charlotte Correctional Institution in southwest Florida when he beat the two victims to death with a sledgehammer in 2003.
Darla Kay Lathrem was the state's first female correctional officer killed in the line of duty.
Attorneys for Eaglin argued that his death sentence and conviction should be thrown out because he did not have proper representation during his trial. Eaglin's lawyers said for example the jury should have been told that Eaglin was bipolar.
But justices rejected the arguments, noting that a doctor testified that Eaglin was competent during the trial.
