The California Supreme Court has reversed the double murder conviction of a Calipatria man.

Omar Deen admitted killing his mother and Calipatria Police Chief J. Leonard Speer in 1998. He was tried in Imperial County Superior Court and convicted of the crimes. Deen was sentenced to death. Monday, the California Supreme Court overturned the conviction declaring that the judge who oversaw the trial improperly denied a challenge to a juror. The juror had disclosed that he was acquainted with Chief Speer and had worked for a local police department. Deen's attorney asked that the juror be removed from the trial but the judge, Jefferey Jones, allowed the juror to remain on the panel because the defense attorney had already used all 20 peremptory challenges and the judge believed the juror could serve without bias. The Supreme Court opinion stated it was an error to fail to consider whether the juror was actually biased. The juror had denied that he was biased based on his experience in law enforcement or that his relationship with Speer would affect his ability to be fair. 

Deen is now 57 years old and is in a prison drug treatment center. The case will be returned to Imperial County Superior Court for a possible retrial.