I agree--I'm FOR the death penalty, but I don't think we give Alito a black mark for voting to hear with more detail a case (or I think it's letting a lower court hear a case) without studying the issues. Only 1 day on the court and I'd want time too.
Time for what? Alito had heard as much about this case as any other justice on the Supreme Court. The appeal didn't get filed until yesterday.