Barry Beach Released From Prison Pending New Trial

Prosecutors say they plan to appeal an order for a new trial for convicted murderer Barry Beach to the Montana Supreme Court after he was released on his own recognizance Wednesday.

After the hearing, Beach changed from a suit and tie into a Washington Redskins football jersey with the number 28. He said the number was symbolic, citing the 28 years and 11 months he has spent in jail and prison.

Beach has maintained his innocence for decades, but many others argue Beach indeed bludgeoned 17-year-old schoolmate Kim Nees to death on a summer night on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation more than three decades ago.

A judge ordered a new trial after a court hearing last summer in which witnesses linked Nees' death to an out-of-control fight among teenage girls.

Associated Press