MEIER WANTS TO APPEAL MURDER CONVICTION
Friday, May 28th, 2010 -- 1:04 PM
A man who admitted landing the punch that killed a Neillsville man now wants to appeal the conviction, but the deadline to appeal has already passed.Tyler Meier was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading ?no contest? to a charge of felony murder-battery. He landed the punch that caused 43-year-old Keith Young to fall and hit his head at the Brickyard Bar and Restaurant on February 1st of last year. Young was hospitalized in critical condition from shortly after the assault, to the time of his death on February 3.
Meier hoped to avoid prison time.
Under state rules, a defendant has 20 days to appeal. Meier was sentenced on March 15th. The appeal was filed on May 12th; well after the deadline had passed.
In the motion to extend the deadline, attorney Harry Hertel notes the scene after sentencing was ?disorganized.? Meier and his family were yelling as deputies led him out of the courtroom. Hertel says he told the bailiff to have Meier contact his office to discuss the sentencing and further proceedings, but wasn?t sure the message got through.
Hertel says Meier claims he was given bad information about the plea process, and wouldn?t have entered the plea otherwise.
No further court dates have been set.
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