Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, told the Associated Press, “Norris has always been deeply ... Holder and Allen were two of 37 federal death row inmates to have their sentences commuted.

Norris Blaine initially claimed to be innocent, but as the DA was ready to seek the death penalty for the murder, he took a plea deal just ahead of the trial in exchange for life in prison without ...

Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin.