Prosecutors are opposed to vacating the murder convictions of a man who died in prison while appealing his death sentence for brutally killing three men more than 20 years ago in New England, according to a legal brief filed Friday.
U.S. District Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins’ office said in the brief filed in Boston federal court that Gary Lee Sampson’s Dec. 21 death makes his pending appeal moot but doesn’t call into question his convictions or sentences.
Sampson pleaded guilty to carjacking and killing three men and never challenged those convictions, making them final and no longer open to appeal, the office said.
“This Court should simply dismiss this appeal as moot and leave Sampson’s convictions and sentences undisturbed,” Rollins’ office concluded.
Federal prosecutors and defense lawyers are submitting legal briefs this month as the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals considers the legal implications of Sampson’s death.
Rollins’ arguments echoed sentiments earlier this week from one of Sampson’s lawyers.
“No one is challenging Gary’s conviction,” Madeline Cohen said. “Gary Sampson never denied responsibility for killing Jonathan Rizzo, Phillip McCloskey or Robert Whitney. He pled guilty in 2003 and always stood by that guilty plea.”