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Appeal refused for local death row inmate accused in $8 robbery death

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the case of a 35-year-old Houston man sentenced to die for a fatal shooting during an $8 robbery nearly more than 16 years ago in Harris County.

/17/1998 during the night in Houston, Garcia and three co-defendants approached a hispanic male who was walking to his vehicle in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Garcia demanded the victim's money and then shot him in the head with a .25 caliber pistol, killing him. Garcia took $8 in cash from the victim.

HOUSTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the case of a 35-year-old Houston man sentenced to die for a fatal shooting during an $8 robbery nearly more than 16 years ago in Harris County.

Lawyers for Juan Martin Garcia contended he had poor legal help during his trial in 2000 and that he's mentally impaired and ineligible for the death penalty.

The high court Monday rejected the appeal without comment.

Evidence showed the murder victim, 36-year-old Hugh Solano, was shot three times in the head in September 1998 when he was confronted while walking to his van at his Harris County apartment complex.

Garcia does not yet have an execution date.

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