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The American Bar Association is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the appeal of condemned killer Ricky Javon Gray.

Gray and accomplice Ray Dandridge, both 39, killed seven people in Richmond in 2006, including four members of the Harvey family on New Year’s Day. Gray was sentenced to death for the capital murders of the Harvey daughters, Ruby, 4, and Stella, 9. Dandridge was sentenced to life.

In May, Gray’s lawyers asked the high court to hear his appeal, in part to determine the obligations of state courts to provide adequate review of alleged constitutional violations and the obligation of federal courts to resolve such allegations when state court review is inadequate.

The Virginia Attorney General’s Office has until July 22 to respond to Gray’s request.

Gray’s lawyers allege Virginia courts “unreasonably failed to provide Gray with a meaningful opportunity to develop and present allegations challenging the constitutionality of his death sentence.” Among other things, their petition complains that the Virginia Supreme Court did not order a hearing to get to the bottom of disputed allegations.