LOS ANGELES, Calif. - An appeals court upheld convictions Monday in the murders of auto racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife.A three-judge panel on the 2nd District Court of Appeal unanimously rejected Michael Goodwins numerous claims of prejudicial errors in his 2007 trial.Goodwin, 69, is serving life in prison without parole in the 1988 slayings of Mickey and Trudy Thompson, who were gunned down in the driveway of their suburban Los Angeles home.Circumstantial evidence showed Goodwin hired two hit men to kill the couple to avenge a soured business deal.I hope Mick and Trudy are looking down, said Collene Campbell, Thompsons sister. When you spend half of your life trying to have somebody convicted of a killing you know that they did, its a tough one to wait this long. ... If it was overturned, youd go back to square one.Defence attorney Gail Harper called it the shakiest hit man case shed ever seen and argued there was insufficient evidence connecting Goodwin to the gunmen, who were never identified.In her 500-page appeal, she argued there were numerous flaws — evidence improperly being introduced; errors in jury instructions; and prosecutorial misconduct, to name a few.Harper told the court during arguments in October that her client was an angry jerk, but that was no crime.In rejecting her claim that the prosecutor acted in bad faith by promising evidence in opening statements that he failed to produce at trial, the appellate court dismissed the defendants often hyperbolic (and sometimes misleading) claims.Harper said she was disappointed and numb with the conclusion of the 164-page decision, but she hadnt read it yet. She had not shared the news with Goodwin.Harper expected to file a petition for review with the California Supreme Court.Thompson gained fame pursuing land-speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, driving dragsters and funny cars, and popularizing off-road competitions. Custom Edmonton Oilers Jerseys .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. Connor McDavid Jersey . It certainly isnt a coincidence that Dwight Howard has scored at least 20 points in each game of the winning streak. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/jari-kurri-jersey/ . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. Mark Messier Jersey . Its the second time this season that Milan has been sanctioned by the league judge, after fans also subjected Napoli supporters to discriminatory chants. The ban will come into effect for Milans next match, against Udinese on Oct. Paul Coffey Jersey .The Hanwha Eagles said the team was impressed with Morgans contact ability and base-running skills.The 34-year-old debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 and hit .JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Russell Allen, a former linebacker with the Jacksonville Jaguars, will retire after suffering a concussion and a stroke in a game last December. Allen told MMQB.si.com he has a dead spot -- no bigger than a dime -- on his cerebellum. The cerebellum controls motor movement and co-ordination. The Jaguars released Allen last week after his personal physician consulted with Jacksonvilles medical staff before a scheduled physical. The Jaguars declined comment Tuesday, citing medical privacy laws. Allen, who lives with his wife and two--year-old son in San Diego, did not immediately return a message left on his cellphone. "I told my story so athletes understand you cant ignore head injuries," Allen posted on his Twitter page Tuesday. "If youre not sure you have one, then you do. Report it immediately." In the months after Allens initial stroke diagnosis, he saw three neurosurgeons. The last one advised Allen to quit playing football. Allen told MMQB he has struggled to pick up and grip hand-held objects -- doctors believe this will subside in time -- and will be on blood-thinning medication for the rest of his life. Allen hopes others will learn from his experience. "Guys talk about it all the time: Im all right; I just got my bell rung," he said.dddddddddddd"Ive had, maybe 10 times in my career, when for a second I felt woozy after a hit. And what Ive learned from this is that its not something to be overlooked. If it feels like somethings wrong, somethings wrong. I want someone to know my experience, so they can know when they experience something similar." Allen sustained the concussion and stroke in Week 15 against Buffalo after running into Bills centre Eric Wood several yards downfield. "It was strange because it was so routine," Allen said. "We hit, I got off the block, no big deal. "I felt something flash -- like they say when you get your bell rung. I didnt lose consciousness. I walked back to the huddle and finished the drive." Later in the game, though, Allen began having double vision on the sideline. He did not notify team trainers, instead asking teammate Paul Posluszny if his eye was OK. Allen had a headache after the game and again when he woke up the next day, which prompted him to tell the team. The Jaguars ordered an MRI and sent Allen home. That Tuesday, the Jags told Allen to meet a team physician at the emergency room. Allen was told he had suffered a stroke and had tests for three days at the hospital. ' ' '