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In 1982 Joesph Kindler, David Bradshaw, and Scott Shaw burgulrized a store. While Kindler escaped, Bradshaw and Shaw were captured by police. Bradshaw said that Kindler was the mastermind of the bulgrary, offering to testify against him and Shaw.
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Kindler was arrested and released on bail, during which he devised a plan to kill Bradshaw, which he did with twenty blows of a baseball bat to his head, then disposing his body into the Deleware River with a cinder block tied around his neck.
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Joesph Kindler was tried in 1983 for first degree murder in a general court, which has jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases heard in that state. He was found guilty of first degree murder, and was sentenced to death.
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Shortly after Kindler was incarserated he filed motions for post-conviction relief.
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While his motions were in the process of being filed, Kindler escaped Philadelphia Detention Center, escaping to Canada.
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Kindler was captured by Canadan authorities for breaking out of prison in the United States. He was not extradited back to the United States, being held in prison in Canada
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Kindler escaped for a second time, this time from a prison in Canada. When he was recapptured he was extridited back to the United States.
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Upon return to the United States Kindler and his lawyers tried to pass his post convinction motions, which were first denied by the trial court, citing the Pennsylvania's Fugitive Forfeiture laws.
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After being recaptured in Canada, Kindler was extradited to the United States.
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Upon Kindlers return to the United States, him and his lawyers continued to try to pass post-conviction motions to avoid the death sentence. These were denied by the trial court, citing Pennsylvania's Fugitive Forfeiture laws.
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The case was appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which held up the ruling of the trial court.
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His case was appealed up to Third Circuit court of Appeals, requesting federal habeas corpus relief. They granted him this, stating that the states fugitive forfeit laws didn't provide sufficent grounds for baring federal review.
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The case was heard by the Supreme Court, with the question at hand being, does the Pennsylvania fugitive forfeit laws provide an adequate basis to deny federal review?
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The Supreme Court overruled the Third Curcuit Court of Appeals decision, stating that they had the laws were allowed, and the federal courts had no jurisdiction.
