News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The State Court Of Appeals denied a Putnam County man’s request to overturn his conviction on four counts of aggravated sexual battery and five counts of rape of a child.
The trial court sentenced Stephen Demps to 25 years in prison. Demps claimed law enforcement altered evidence and that he received ineffective assistance from his attorney. Demps also asked the court to agree that the State committed prosecutorial misconduct, by helping the victim lie.
Demps claimed police altered an audio recording of his interview before it was played at trial. Demps said his attorney failed to explain his potential sentence for the crimes and failed to conduct a thorough investigation, among other claims.
“After a thorough review of the record and the applicable law, we conclude the postconviction court properly denied the Petitioner’s petition for post-conviction relief,” Judge Robert Wedemeyer wrote in the ruling. “In accordance with the foregoing reasoning and authorities, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.”
Demps convicted of sexual abuse involving a 12-year-old girl in 2013. Demps was the victim’s great uncle.
