Andrew Steplock Appeals Murder Conviction With Wyoming Supreme Court
A Casper man convicted of murder in the shooting death of his mother two years ago filed an appeal with the Wyoming Supreme Court on Monday.
The filing will start the process for probably the last legal option Andrew Wayne Steplock has to challenge his conviction in November 2019 of felony murder, second-degree murder, aggravated burglary and possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent.
Monday, only the initial notices were filed.
They were the case caption number, the docketing letter, and the lifting of a Supreme Court's Dec. 4 stay -- a delay in proceedings -- in a petition for review that Steplock filed in July.
Steplock and his attorneys have 45 days to file the appeal brief, and the state has 45 days after that to respond.
The case started early Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, when he shot his mother Deborah Steplock.
In May, he pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness.
After a five-day trial, a jury convicted him on Nov. 22.
In March 2020, Natrona County District Court Judge Daniel Forgey sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
In July, Steplock appealed the verdict to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
On Dec. 4, the court issued the stay -- holding off on acting on the petition for the writ of review -- because he had filed a motion in the Natrona County District Court saying his attorneys were ineffective.
In his claim of ineffective counsel, Steplock claimed his defense attorneys did not obtain a mental health professional to testify about his mental state.
On Dec. 9, he asked for a new trial, but Forgey denied that request on Jan. 25.
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