IT WAS NOT UNEXPECTED AND NOW IT’S OFFICIAL — CHICO NEWMAN WANTS A NEW TRIAL.
THE 38-YEAR OLD BURLINGTON MAN WAS CONVICTED RECENTLY OF KILLING HIS WIFE CRYSTAL WITH A SINGLE GUNSHOT TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO…AND A DES MOINES COUNTY JURY FOUND HIM GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER. NOW, HIS LAWYER…CURTIS DIAL…SAYS ONE OF THE JURORS (JIM HOLTKAMP) TOLD HIM HE WAS PRESSURED BY OTHER MEMBERS TO RETURN THE MURDER VERDICT, RATHER THAN STICK WITH HIS OWN OPINION THAT NEWMAN WAS GUILTY OF VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, A LESS SERIOUS CHARGE.
JUDGE JOHN LINN WILL HEAR THE ARGUMENTS TOMORROW(FRI) AFTERNOON. IF HE DENIES THE MOTION, NEWMAN IS SCHEDULED TO BE SENTENCED NEXT MONDAY.
