RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal of a Virginia death row inmate who killed two people during an escape — a hospital guard and Montgomery County sheriff’s deputy. William Morva’s attorney argued before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in March that he was improperly denied a chance to show that he wouldn’t do it again if spared the death penalty. But a three-judge panel of the court rejected his claims Thursday and affirmed the lower court’s ruling. Morva was in jail awaiting trial on attempted robbery charges in 2006 when he was taken to a Blacksburg hospital. He overpowered a deputy sheriff and used the deputy’s pistol to fatally shoot an unarmed security guard. He fatally shot another deputy during a manhunt the next day. Morva’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to a message Thursday.
