A Lake County Judge said Thursday that Marni Yang can go forward with her claims that she did not kill Rhoni Reuter in 2007.
The case drew national attention because both women were allegedly dating former Chicago Bear Shawn Gayle. Reuter was pregnant at the time of her murder.
Yang’s father, who has supported her financially and emotionally for the last 13 years, said the family is relieved that her side of the story will be heard in open court.
“They have opened the door in allowing us to prove that Marni didn’t do this,” said Larry Merar. “It takes a huge, huge burden off of our family."
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Yang was convicted of Reuter’s murder by a Lake County jury who heard testimony about a confession she made to Christi Paschen, a friend and professional psychic who was wearing a police wire. Yang later claimed she confessed to protect her son, who she said police were looking to charge with the crime.
She has exhausted all of her appeals.
Yang’s new defense attorney, Jed Stone, filed a petition for post-trial relief citing new evidence that he said will prove she was wrongly convicted.
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Thursday, Lake County Judge Christopher ruled that some elements of the petition can go forward, including evidence on bullet trajectories that Stone said prove that Yang cannot be the shooter.
In his 33-page ruling, Stride said, “This court must hear and consider relevant evidence to determine whether the defendant can establish her claim of actual innocence based on newly discovered evidence concerning the height of the shooter."
“She is barely 5 feet tall. These shots were fired from someone who was almost 6 feet tall,” Stone said.
Yang was present for Thursday’s hearing, using a walker and wearing a Lake County Jail jumpsuit. She high-fived attorney Stone in court as he explained to her the ruling.
The next step for Yang will be a hearing on the new evidence. A date for that will likely be set next week.
Ultimately her attorney said she should get a new trial; something that could still be years away. For now, Yang will remain incarcerated at the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, Illinois.
