Judge denies new trial for Jackson teen

A former Jackson teen convicted of murdering his grandmother won't get a new trial after claiming he had an ineffective attorney.

Boone County Circuit Judge Gary Oxenhandler denied a post-conviction motion by Joshua Wolf, 19, who claimed his attorney, Stephen Wilson of Cape Girardeau, had rendered him "ineffective assistance of counsel" at his jury trial in Boone County in April 2001.

Wolf was sentenced to life in prison for the May 6, 2000, shooting death of Carol Jean Lindley. He attempted to cover up the murder by setting fire to the home he shared with Lindley. An evidentiary hearing was held Oct. 15, at which the state public defender's office argued that Wilson had brought defense witness Dr. William S. Logan into the case too late to do a proper mental evaluation of Wolf.

Oxenhandler disagreed, denied the defense motion and specifically found that Wilson "is a very experienced practitioner of criminal law" who has won a "remarkable" number of jury trials and that all of his decisions in handling the case were reasonable trial strategy.

Wilson said the motion that Wolf filed is a common "last ditch" response to a serious criminal conviction -- in fact, he recommended his former client to file it.

"I told Josh to do it and it doesn't offend me," he said.

mwells@semissourian.com

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