Ohio judge grants new trial in fire that killed 9
House where 9 people, including 8 children were killed during a fire in 2005
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 02/08/2012
CLEVELAND - A federal judge in Ohio has granted a new trial for a man convicted in a 2005 house fire that killed nine people, including eight children at a birthday sleepover.
Judge Solomon Oliver ruled Wednesday that the conviction of 28-year-old Antun Lewis in the Cleveland fire was based on unreliable witnesses.
At the same time, the judge said he did not find that Lewis didn't commit the crime. He says a new trial will provide an incentive to answer unresolved questions.
A spokesman says local U.S. attorney's office had no immediate comment. A defense attorney didn't immediately return a message Wednesday.
Lewis has said he knew the victims and wouldn't harm a child.
The fire killed 33-year-old Medeia Carter, four of her children and four other youngsters attending a sleepover marking Moses Williams Jr.'s 14th birthday. More than 4,000 people attended their funeral at a convention center.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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