Montana Man Who Shot Exchange Student Asks for New Trial

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man who was convicted of shooting a German exchange student to death in 2014 is seeking a new trial.

The Missoulian reports that Markus Kaarma’s new attorneys argued Thursday in district court that the lawyers in his 2015 trial for the killing of 17-year-old Diren Dede provided him with ineffective assistance.

Dede had apparently gone into Kaarma’s garage in Missoula to steal beer. Kaarma had argued the shooting was in self-defense.

Prosecutors said Kaarma and his girlfriend were trying to lure a burglar by leaving the garage door open after being burglarized twice before.

The Montana Supreme Court previously upheld Kaarma’s conviction and 70-year sentence, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case.

Kaarma is now asking for a new trial through a petition for post-conviction relief.

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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com