INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s attorney general will appeal a federal judge’s decision to release from prison a man convicted in the 2000 killing of an Indiana University student.
U.S. District Court Judge James Sweeney ruled in September that John Myers II’s legal representation during trial for the murder of Jill Behrman was so ineffective his Sixth Amendment rights were violated. He ordered Myers’ release within 120 days of the ruling, unless prosecutors opt to retry him.
Attorney General Curtis Hill said Wednesday his office is appealing the decision. Hill said that while his office respects the judge’s order, it’s believed the ruling was wrong as a matter of law and “should not be the final word in this important case.
The now 43-year-old Myers was convicted in 2006 in the killing of the 19-year-old Behrman and sentenced to 65 years.
