A Detroit convicted killer whose release went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court is likely to resume his life prison sentence.

A federal appeals court on Monday overturned a decision that had granted Dwayne Ballinger Jr. a new trial. He was convicted of killing two men with an AK-47 in 2006 but claimed his attorney did a poor job defending him at trial.

READ: Convicted killer set free with tether, awaits new trial

Ballinger's case was controversial because federal Judge Arthur Tarnow released him on bond last summer, despite protests from the attorney general's office that Ballinger was searching the streets for his rivals. He denied it and apparently has stayed out of trouble.

Read: Michigan AG's appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court even got involved, voting 5-4 to affirm Tarnow's decision to grant bond.