High court turns down appeal in rogue juror case

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a federal death row inmate who said his death sentence should have been thrown out because of a juror's misconduct.

The justices did not comment Tuesday in turning down Brandon Basham, who was sentenced to death for kidnapping and killing 44-year-old Alice Donovan in 2002. The foreperson on Basham's jury was held in contempt of court by the trial judge after it was learned that she called five news organizations and made 71 other calls to two fellow jurors, despite repeated warnings from the judge to refrain from discussing the case with anyone.