Judge pledges to resolve Kezer murder conviction challenge quickly

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Cole County judge said at the conclusion of a hearing Thursday that he intends to decide the fate of Joshua C. Kezer, a man fighting his 14-year-old conviction in a Scott County murder case, as quickly as possible.

Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan, who is hearing the wrongful conviction suit because because Kezer is imprisoned in his jurisdiction, heard from the last witness Thursday, wrapping a hearing that started on Dec. 2 and continued on Dec. 3.

Kezer, 33, is currently serving a 60-year sentence for the November 1992 shooting death of Angela Mischelle Lawless, a Southeast Missouri State University student killed near her home in Benton, Mo.

The witness, David Rosener, part of Kezer's 1994 trial defense team, had been unable to testify last week because of a medical emergency.

Rosener's testimony centered on interviews he conducted in 1993 with three jailhouse snitches who had given statements to police claiming Kezer confessed the murder to them.

Check back later for more on this story.