Faulty ID sent Idaho man to prison for life, Supreme Court says in freeing him

The Idaho Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that John D. Wurdemann received inadequate legal assistance when he was convicted of beating a woman forced off Interstate 84 west of Caldwell in 2000.

The high court upheld an August 2015 decision by Senior Canyon County Judge Renae Hoff that Wurdemann, now 46, received inadequate legal representation at his 2002 trial. Hoff threw out Wurdemann’s conviction and sentence and ordered a new trial.

“I am relieved by this decision for Mr. Wurdemann. He served nearly 15 years for a crime he did not commit,” said Elisa Massoth, a Payette attorney who represented Wurdemann in his appeal.

The state has the ability to retry her client, but Massoth — who said she believes in her client’s innocence — said it would be difficult to convict him without victim Linda LeBrane’s identification.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article135562273.html