OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the murder conviction of a man for a fatal shooting at a Lawton motel.
The court on Thursday rejected appeals by 31-year-old Robert Long, who was convicted and sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in the March 2014 death of 59-year-old Johnny Allen of Fort Towson.
The court rejected claims by Long that included insufficient evidence, that he did not have an impartial jury, and ineffective assistance of counsel. The appeals court did find that statements Long made should not have been admitted, but that they did not affect his conviction because other evidence tied him to the shooting.
Prosecutors say Long was attempting to rob Allen, who was staying at the motel while working on a road construction project.
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