Detroit – A federal appeals court on Friday overturned the murder conviction of a Michigan woman who was accused of setting a fire and then…
Detroit – A federal appeals court on Friday overturned the murder conviction of a Michigan woman who was accused of setting a fire and then running over her burning husband with her van as he tried to flee their home.
Linda Stermer’s rights were violated when her attorney failed to effectively challenge key evidence, the court said in a 2-1 decision that found other problems with the trial.
Stermer, now 55, was convicted in Van Buren County in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison. However, she has been free on bond for nearly 18 months while challenging her conviction on constitutional grounds.
In 2007, a fire broke out at the home of Linda and Todd Stermer in Lawrence, in southwestern Michigan.
