Appeals court upholds death penalty for foot doctor

A federal appeals court panel has upheld the death penalty for a Chicago foot doctor convicted in 2005 of killing a disabled patient to keep her from testifying against him in a Medicare fraud case.

In Monday's ruling, the three-member panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that the evidence was strong that Ronald Mikos murdered Joyce Brannon and engaged in witness-tampering.

The court dismissed some of Mikos' arguments, including his contention that federal agents didn't have the legal right to take weapons and ammo from his storage unit.

One of the three judges did dissent on the question of sentencing, arguing that Mikos was entitled to a new death penalty hearing.