A man twice convicted of a north-central Idaho murder 35 years ago won’t face references to his previous sentences, past criminal allegations, or his three decades of incarceration during his latest trial.
Mark Lankford stands trial for the third time beginning Monday in Canyon County.
Lankford was originally convicted in 1984 for the beating deaths of a couple camping in the backcountry of Idaho County. Lankford won an appeal, and was retried and convicted a second time. However, he won a second appeal when the Idaho Supreme Court overturned his 2008 conviction after it was learned prosecutors failed to inform defense attorneys the full details of a deal made with an incarcerated witness in exchange for testifying against Lankford.
A 2nd District judge in July ruled on several motions to determine what will, and what won’t, be introduced to jurors at the latest trial, including the past convictions.
The trial is scheduled to last three weeks. (Lewiston Tribune)
