Judge Spivey denies convicted double murderer Wallace Lee's motion for a new trial

Convicted double murderer Wallace Lee’s motion for a new trial has been denied.

Lee has been serving two life sentences without the possibility for parole for the November 2015 murders of Meghan Bowen, 33, and Carlos Harden, 39. He was convicted of the murders in October of 2017. 

On March 1, Judge Andy Spivey began hearing the motion. The motion alleges that the guilty verdicts were contrary to the evidence and contrary “to the law and principles of justice and equity, among other reasons.”

It also alleges that the Lee’s attorney “committed ineffective assistance of counsel” in several instances during the trial. The motion also accuses the trial court of “harmful error” when it excused a potential juror. 

In his ruling, Judge Spivey disagreed with the motion. He ruled that the verdict was not contrary to the evidence; it’s neither decidedly nor strongly against the weight of the evidence; it’s not contrary to the law or principles of justice or equity; there is sufficient evidence to support the verdict; Lee’s attorney’s performance constituted an objective standard of reasonableness; and the trial court did not commit any error that warranted a new trial.

The order concludes with the following statement: “Therefore, the Defendant’s motion for a new trial is denied.”