A judge has denied a request for a new trial in the decades-old murder case of Karen Umphrey in St. Clair County. Douglas Laming, convicted in October of ’24 for her rape and murder, sought a retrial, claiming his trial lawyer failed to challenge key testimony and that the jury wasn’t properly warned about his co-defendant Anthony Harris’s motives. Judge Cynthia Lane rejected the motion Friday, saying the jury had enough information about Harris’s plea deal and the evidence was properly presented. Laming is serving life without parole.
Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet
