Dec 20, 2007 10:15 am US/Mountain
Prosecutors Cite 'Concern' About 1999 Conviction
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) ―
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Timothy Masters on Aug. 23, 2007
CBS
Special prosecutors say they have "great concern" about an 8-year-old murder conviction after defense lawyers argued that the original prosecutors mishandled the case.
Tim Masters was convicted of first-degree murder in 1999 in the death of Peggy Hettrick of Fort Collins, who was killed 11 years earlier.
In a hearing under way in Larimer County District Court, defense lawyer David Wymore has argued that police and the original prosecutors were so intent on convicting Masters that they spent a decade building a case that ignored key evidence.
Masters' original defense lawyers testified they never received documents and reports that turned up later, which they said would have helped Masters' case.
The officials who handled the original case have defended their work.
Special prosecutor Don Quick said Wednesday he is not merely trying to defend the original conviction but also trying to determine if Masters got a fair trial. He said his team has uncovered numerous documents and reports that they turned over to Wymore.
"There have been some things that have come up that have caused us concern, great concern," Quick said.
"We are not in a position to simply defend the original case, but nor are we going to blindly accept one version of it as presented by the defense attorneys," he said.
Wymore rested his case this week after months of testimony. Special prosecutors were expected to begin taking testimony from Masters' former attorneys this week.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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