PA Supreme Court Hears Death Penalty Challenge:  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering a petition by two murderers on the state's death row to abolish the death penalty for its disproportionate impact on poor black defendants.  The Associated Press reports that attorneys representing murderers Jermont Cox and Kevin Marinelli are encouraging the court to convert the sentences of the state's 137 condemned murderers to life in prison.  Cox, a low level drug dealer, was convicted of murdering two men in 1992.  Marinelli was convicted of the 1994 murder of man in Kulpmont, PA during the burglary of his home.  The Washington Times reports that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner,who opposes the death penalty, is a driving force behind the court challenge. Krasner told reporters that 82% of Philly's death row inmates are black, while statewide, blacks make up about half the inmates on death row.  Left unanswered is whether blacks disproportionately commit aggravated murder.  If most aggravated murderers in the state are black, it is not surprising that most murderers sentenced to death will be of the same race.