A Wood County Circuit Judge ruled the performance of a defense attorney was “deficient” while he was awarding a 20-year-old man a new trial. Miguel Oertel was sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing his former girlfriend’s mother in August 2015. Judge Gregory Potter decided Oertel deserves the new trial to determine whether he was insane when he shot Theresa Coates. He had rushed to the home after Coates’ daughter told him she was ending their relationship. Oertel told the jury the shooting was an accident. After he shot her, Oertel shot himself in the face, but he recovered.
Convicted Killer Gets New Trial, Attorney’s “Performance Was Deficient”
Mar 16, 2018 | 6:07 PM
State News