Late changes to a court document scuttled a planned hearing Monday for convicted murderer Marni Yang, who is seeking to have her case overturned in the shooting death of the pregnant girlfriend of a former Chicago Bears player.
Yang’s attorney Jed Stone had convinced a Lake County judge to hear new evidence in Yang’s case. But after prosecutors balked at late changes to a report from a defense expert witness, Judge Christopher Stride postponed the hearing.
The judge set an August date for a case management hearing. A new hearing date will probably be scheduled then.
Yang, 57, is serving a life sentence for the 2007 murder of Rhoni Reuter in Reuter’s Deerfield condo. Yang was arrested in 2009 and found guilty at trial two years after that in a homicide that prosecutors said was prompted by Yang’s jealousy.
At the time of her death, Reuter was six months pregnant with the child of Shaun Gayle, who played on the Bears’ 1986 Super Bowl championship team. Yang, authorities said, had previously been involved with Gayle.
Stone had been granted a hearing to present new evidence that Stone said would exonerate his client. In previous filings, Stone contended that forensic evidence would show that whoever shot Reuter was much taller than Yang.
One of Yang’s forensic experts, Arthur Borchers, was ready to testify Monday when prosecutors objected to an updated, 111-page affidavit from Borchers.
Stone told the court that the changes were not significantly different from a previously filed affidavit. But the judge recessed the hearing and gave the prosecutors about three and a half hours to look at the document.
When the afternoon session started, prosecutors asked for additional time. Stone said the changes were a result of Borchers trying to be as accurate as possible.
“I wasn’t trying to ambush them,” Stone said afterward of the prosecutors.
“We’re ready to roll and advance her claims of innocence,” he added.
In a statement released Monday, Reuter’s brother said the new proceedings are a painful reminder for her family.
“We are heartbroken and frustrated by the ongoing attempts to receive a retrial for the person who was already found guilty of Rhoni and Skylar’s murder,” Thad Reuter said, referring to his sister and what was to be the baby’s name.