Man convicted in Vermont teacher’s death seeks new trial

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A man convicted along with his wife of kidnapping and killing a St. Johnsbury Academy teacher in 2012 is appealing.

Allen Prue was convicted in 2014 for his role in strangling and beating Melissa Jenkins after luring her with a ruse about a broken-down vehicle. He’s serving a life sentence.

The Caledonian Record reports (https://bit.ly/1QRlFkT ) that defense attorney Allison Fulcher, in a brief in the Vermont Supreme Court, says his convictions for kidnapping, murder and conspiracy to commit murder should be reversed and a new trial granted.

Among her challenges, Fulcher says Internet searches by Prue’s wife - including requests for information on “how to kidnap a girl” - were never proved to be part of a specific plan to kidnap Jenkins.

A response from prosecutors is due next month.

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Information from: The Caledonian-Record, https://www.caledonianrecord.com