The Kansas Supreme Court has overturned the
death sentence of a man convicted of killing a Goddard couple in
1996.

The justices ordered a new sentencing hearing for Gavin D. Scott
over several issues raised by his attorneys. It returned the case
to Sedgwick County.

Scott was sentenced to die for the shootings of Doug and Beth
Brittain in their rural Goddard farmhouse. An accomplice was
sentenced to 80 years to life in prison.

Not only was Scott convicted of capital murder for both
killings, he was convicted of first-degree murder for Doug
Brittain's death. The court concluded that conviction improperly
duplicated the capital murder conviction.

The court also said the judge made errors in instructing the
jury.