A Marathon County judge heard arguments Monday about whether the Weston prayer death parents should get a new trial.
Leilani Neumann’s appellate attorney, Byron Lichstein, argued in court that the 42-year-old did not get a fair trial because her attorney was ineffective. He says her attorney was in poor health during the trial and failed to establish a strong defense based on her belief in faith healing.
But prosecutor LaMont Jacobson argues that trial attorney Gene Linehan did the best job he could and the conviction should be upheld.
Jurors convicted Leilani and Dale Neumann of reckless homicide in 2009, for failing to take their dying diabetic daughter to a doctor and relying on prayer to help her. The two were convicted in separate trials.
Dale Neumann is also appealing his conviction. A judge will hear arguments next week in his case and issue a ruling in both by mid-April.
