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US Supreme Court Rejects Appeal By Death Row Inmate Berget

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Attorney General Marty Jackley says the U.S. Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Rodney Berget.

Berget was sentenced to die for his role in killing State Penitentiary guard Ronald Johnson during an April 2011 escape attempt. Berget is to die by lethal injection the week of May 3.

Jackley says the Supreme Court rejected Berget’s request to overturn his conviction and death sentence. Jackley says, “the interest of justice has been served.”

Berget’s attorney, Jeff Larson, was out of the office early Monday and not immediately available for comment.

Another inmate charged in Johnson’s death, Eric Robert, was executed in 2012. A third inmate, Michael Nordman, was sentenced to life in prison for providing materials used in the slaying of Johnson, which happened on his 63rd birthday.