CLEVELAND – An Ohio doctor convicted of killing his wife with cyanide claims errors at his trial turned jurors against him.
In an appeal, the lawyer for Yazeed Essa (EE'-suh) contends the judge should not have allowed testimony about Essa's extramarital affairs and his behavior after his wife died.
The Plain Dealer newspaper reports Tuesday that attorney Stephen Miles filed a brief with a state appeals court last month. Miles argues the judge should have declared a mistrial over testimony the lawyer says questioned Essa's character but had nothing to do with the 2005 death of Rosemarie Essa.
Prosecutors are preparing a response.
Essa was convicted in March of poisoning his wife's calcium supplement. Prosecutors said the Cleveland-area doctor wanted to be with his mistress.
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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com
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