Greenwell was convicted in 1985 murder of detective Dennis Yaklich
CANON CITY, Colo. (AP) -- An assault charge that returned a convicted murderer to prison has been dismissed, after it sat in a prosecutor's office for six months.
Charles Greenwell had his 2006 second-degree assault conviction thrown out by the Colorado Court of Appeals in August. A judge dismissed the charge Tuesday after prosecutors failed to advise the court whether they would re-prosecute Greenwell. Prison officials say he was released Wednesday.
Fremont County District Attorney Thom LeDoux says a miscommunication between the court and his office led to the case not being reviewed in time.
Fremont County District Attorney Thom LeDoux says a miscommunication between the court and his office led to the case not being reviewed in the time required by law.
Greenwell was one of three people convicted in the 1985 murder-for-hire slaying of Pueblo police detective Dennis Yaklich.
Greenwell pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and completed his sentence in 2004.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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