diff --git a/cassandra/marshal.py b/cassandra/marshal.py
index 80c4efd6..800f0a56 100644
--- a/cassandra/marshal.py
+++ b/cassandra/marshal.py
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ def bitlength(n):
     return bitlen
 
 
-if six.PY3:
-    byte_val = int
-else:
-    byte_val = ord
-
-
 def varint_pack(big):
     pos = True
     if big == 0: