PORTLAND — Maine’s highest court focused on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the appeal of a Standish woman convicted of beating her husband with a baseball bat.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments this morning from Cumberland County Assistant District Attorney Anne Berlind and Verne Paradie, the lawyer representing Linda Dolloff.

Dolloff was convicted in 2010 of attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault and filing a false report. She is serving a 16-year sentence.

Paradie argues that District Attorney Stephanie Anderson expressed personal opinions during the trial, misrepresented facts during her closing argument and should not have suggested to jurors that they must convict in order to deliver justice. He also contends the judge erred in allowing certain evidence and statements during the 14-day trial.

Berlind argues that there was no prosecutorial misconduct that deprived Dolloff of a fair trial. She said the comments in question must be viewed in the larger context of the trial. Some were meant to highlight the absurdity of the defense’s theory and others were made to draw attention to the strength of the state’s evidence she said.

Dolloff was convicted of beating her husband in April 2009 while he slept at their home. Prosecutors say she then shot herself in the stomach to make it look like a home invasion. The couple was going through a divorce at the time.

 


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