CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
A state appeals court panel dealt a blow this week to a woman seeking release from prison on a controversial 1983 murder conviction, overturning a judge’s ruling that had removed the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office from the case.
The three-judge panel ruled that there was no evidence that the office could not handle Deborah Peagler’s case fairly or adequately cross-examine top prosecutors, including Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley, who could be called to testify in an upcoming hearing on the case.
The ruling reverses a decision last year by Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan, who is expected to decide whether Peagler should be released. Peagler’s attorneys say Cooley initially agreed to support Peagler’s release but reneged on the deal amid internal squabbling over the case.
Peagler is serving 25 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of her boyfriend, Oliver Wilson. She contends that years of beatings, sexual assaults and other abuse by Wilson led to the killing. Prosecutors say she has exaggerated the abuse and that she had other reasons to kill him, including a desire to cash in on his life insurance.
-- Jack Leonard
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