What to Know
- An appeals court reversed the conviction of a Long Island man who served 17 years in prison, saying a judge's ruling denied him a fair trial
- The court ruled for Paul Scrimo Tuesday. He won't be freed until prosecutors decide whether to seek retrial
- He was convicted in May 2002 in the strangulation death of Ruth Williams in April 2000 in Farmingdale
An appeals court has reversed the conviction of a Long Island man who served nearly 18 years in prison, saying a judge's rulings denied him a fair trial.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal ruled for Paul Scrimo Tuesday. He won't be freed until prosecutors decide whether to seek retrial.
He was convicted in Nassau County Court in May 2002 in the strangulation death of Ruth Williams in April 2000 in Farmingdale, New York. A prosecutor didn't return a message.
The appeals court said a judge erred in evidentiary rulings.
The 2nd Circuit noted that DNA under the victim's fingernails belonged to another man rather than Scrimo. It also was critical of an argument that Scrimo killed Williams because he was angry she called his wife fat and ugly.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
