Douglas L. Coley v. Margaret Bagley, Warden
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States Supreme Court
In 1998 in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court, Douglas L. Coley was tried and convicted for the homicide of a young woman, El-Okdi Samar, which was committed during the course of an Aggravated Robbery in Toledo, Ohio. The death sentence was imposed. His direct appeals in the Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court were denied. (See State v. Coley, 93 Ohio St.3d 253) Judge Leslie Wells of the United States District Court appointed Mr.Gibbons and his co-counsel to pursue Habeas Corpus relief in the Federal Court for Constitutional errors. Over the course of the last several years, Mr. Gibbons and his co-counsel vigorously pursued relief in the District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The United States Supreme Court recently denied his petition. Coley will no doubt receive an execution date. Unfortunately for Mr. Coley, he received a relatively error-free trial. The unfortunate aspect of this case is that Coley was only 20 years of age when the offenses were committed. His family background was horrific. Asa teenager and young adult, Coley ran the streets of Toledo, Ohio and Detroit,Michigan. Mr. Coley has now been on death row for 15 years. The most troubling part of his case is that Mr. Coley who is a very intelligent person,reads incessantly, is personable, and despite the looming death penalty sentence, maintains a very balanced and philosophical attitude.
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States Supreme Court
In 1998 in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court, Douglas L. Coley was tried and convicted for the homicide of a young woman, El-Okdi Samar, which was committed during the course of an Aggravated Robbery in Toledo, Ohio. The death sentence was imposed. His direct appeals in the Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court were denied. (See State v. Coley, 93 Ohio St.3d 253) Judge Leslie Wells of the United States District Court appointed Mr.Gibbons and his co-counsel to pursue Habeas Corpus relief in the Federal Court for Constitutional errors. Over the course of the last several years, Mr. Gibbons and his co-counsel vigorously pursued relief in the District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The United States Supreme Court recently denied his petition. Coley will no doubt receive an execution date. Unfortunately for Mr. Coley, he received a relatively error-free trial. The unfortunate aspect of this case is that Coley was only 20 years of age when the offenses were committed. His family background was horrific. Asa teenager and young adult, Coley ran the streets of Toledo, Ohio and Detroit,Michigan. Mr. Coley has now been on death row for 15 years. The most troubling part of his case is that Mr. Coley who is a very intelligent person,reads incessantly, is personable, and despite the looming death penalty sentence, maintains a very balanced and philosophical attitude.