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Michigan Supreme Court Could Make it Easier to Get New Trials

Subterranean/Wikimedia Commons

(MPRN-Lansing) The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could make it easier for criminal defendants to win new trials. 

Lorinda Swainwas convicted in Calhoun County, and  is serving a sentence of 25 years for sex abuse. Swain says she’s not guilty and can prove it if her ex-boyfriend is allowed to testify. The problem for Swain is she never called the boyfriend to the stand during her trial.

This matters because, usually, a defendant doesn’t get a new trial based on evidence that was available during the initial trial. Swain says she never called her ex because he was angry with her, and her defense team was afraid he wouldn’t be helpful.

But she says now she knows he could have helped her case, and that entitles her to another attempt to clear her name.

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