This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An Orem man whose murder conviction was recently overturned over incorrect home measurements wants out from behind bars.
Conrad Mark Truman, 34, was convicted by a jury in 2014 of first-degree felony murder and second-degree felony obstruction of justice in 25-year-old Heidy Truman's death.
But last week, a judge ruled that he would receive a new trial because jurors relied on incorrect measurement of the couple's home when they found him guilty of holding a gun to his wife's head and pulling the trigger.
In light of this decision, Conrad Truman's attorneys on Thursday asked that he be released from the Utah County jail or have his bail amount significantly decreased. Attorneys have asked that Conrad Truman's bail status be discussed during a pretrial conference on Monday. Prosecutors said last week that they are still considering whether to retry him.
The defendant had been serving two prison terms — 15 years to life for the murder and one to 15 years for obstructing justice — but 4th District Judge Samuel McVey ordered last week that he be moved back to the county jail because the conviction was overturned.
Conrad Truman's attorneys argue in court papers that their client is innocent and poses no danger to the community if he were released. He will not flee, the attorneys wrote, adding that the husband did not leave during the nine months that police investigated Heidy Truman's death before charging him with murder. He has been in custody since the two charges were filed in 2013.
Heidy Truman died Sept. 20, 2012, at the couple's Orem home. Her husband was also there that night, but has said he was in the kitchen when he heard a noise and then turned to see his wife collapse.
Police began to suspect Conrad Truman of murder when he told conflicting stories about her death and threatened the life of a responding police officer.
While prosecutors argued that Truman's erratic behavior pointed to murder, defense attorneys told jurors the husband was in shock and under the influence of alcohol.
Twitter: @jm_miller