JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Supreme Court has refused to re-imprison a man whose conviction in the killing of his mother was thrown out by a lower-court judge.
Dale Helmig served 14 years in prison for the 1993 slaying of his mother, Norma Helmig, before a circuit judge ruled last year that his right to a fair trial was prejudiced.
Helmig remains free on bond pending a decision on whether he'll be tried again. Attorney General Chris Koster appealed the order releasing Helmig, but the Supreme Court denied the appeal Tuesday without explanation.
Osage County Prosecutor Amanda Grellner now has 180 days to decide whether to retry Helmig.
In throwing out Helmig's conviction, DeKalb County Circuit Judge Warren McElwain suggested Helmig's father, Ted Helmig, was a likely suspect and noted the couple was going through a bitter divorce.