Kentucky Supreme Court overturns murder convictions of James Anthony Gray

The Kentucky Supreme Court has reversed the 2013 convictions of James Anthony Gray in the murder of his parents because his confession to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office “was not the voluntary product of Gray’s free will.”

“Gray’s constitutional right to due process was violated in obtaining the confession,” the court said in its written opinion released Thursday. “The trial court erred by failing to suppress the confession and it was thus erroneously admitted as evidence at trial.”

James E. Gray, 63, and Vivian Gray, 55, were found shot to death in their northern Scott County home on April 26, 2007.

James Anthony Gray, 46, was tried twice. A jury in 2012 could not reach a unanimous verdict so the judge declared a mistrial. Gray was tried again in 2013 and was found guilty on two counts of murder and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

The case now goes back to Scott Circuit Court. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Keith Eardley, who was the prosecutor in both trials, did not have much to say.

“We follow the law,” he said.

Eardley anticipated that Gray, who is now at Northpoint Training Center in Boyle County, will be returned to the Scott County jail and a judge will review his bond.

This story was originally published February 18, 2016 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Kentucky Supreme Court overturns murder convictions of James Anthony Gray."