Briley Piper, South Dakota death row inmate, loses appeal to Eighth Circuit

Ruling leaves murderer with few options before execution date can be set

A federal appeals court Monday rejected a bid by South Dakota’s only remaining death row inmate to have his capital murder conviction and death sentence overturned.

The decision by a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals represents one of the final appeals that Briley Piper can make. Piper could still ask for a rehearing with the Eight Circuit, and he could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but both would be legal longshots. Unless one of those steps is successful, an execution date could be set in the near future.

“Today, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Piper’s death sentence for ‘the extended and brutal nature of the murder’ of Chester Poage,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley. “Briley Piper has never accepted responsibility for his actions and has consistently tried to shift blame onto others for his sentence. The Eighth Circuit’s rejection of his appeal marks an important step toward final justice for Chester Poage and his family.”