Upon being convicted of a crime in Nebraska, it is important for people to know that the criminal justice system does allow for decisions to be appealed. While certainly there is no guarantee that an appeal will successfully overturn a prior decision, it does give defendants the opportunity to pursue different outcomes.
One man from Knox County has been working on his appeal process for a while. Eleven years ago in 2006, the man was convicted and identified as a habitual criminal for his alleged role in a robbery with a weapon. His charges involved both felony weapons offenses and robbery. He has been in prison for 11 years now and is currently slated for release in 2028.
During his trial, some coins that he was accused of stealing were not used because they were said to have been at a lab for criminal testing. On this basis, the defendant sought a new trial to have all evidence included. Last year, a ruling from the Knox County District Court denied the request for a new trial saying that the reason for requesting it was not sufficient to support it. The defendant appealed that decision to the Nebraska Court of Appeals. In a recent ruling, that court supported the lower court's decision denying a new trial.
The path of a criminal defense may not be easy and people in Nebraska might find it helpful to work with an attorney to more fully understand the system and their options.
Source: KWBE.com, "Robbery Conviction Upheld for Knox County Man," Eric McKay, April 11, 2017