BREAKING: Judge Upholds Kaitlyn Conley’s Manslaughter Conviction

Judge Michael L. Dwyer has ruled Kaitlyn Conley, who was found guilty in the poisoning death of her boss, will not be entitled to a new trial.

Motion to Vacate Denied

Conley, who is now 30, had been in court last November to argue before Judge Dwyer in Oneida County Court that her manslaughter conviction should be tossed because she received "ineffective counsel."

Conley had been convicted in 2018 and was sentenced to serve a 23-year sentence behind bars.

Judge Dwyer ruled Conley received "meaningful representation" during both trial stints - the first, which ended in a mistrial, and the second which yielded a guilty verdict. In addition, Dwyer's ruling also means Conley cannot request or be granted a new trial.

As Previously Reported...

Conley, of Sauquoit, was sentenced on January 11, 2018 to a 23-year prison sentence for the 2015 death of Dr. Mary L. Yoder, a Utica area chiropractor and Conley's boss at the time.

She was convicted of poisoning Dr. Yoder with the drug colchicine, an anti-inflammatory used to treat gout, per toxicology reports. The victim was also the mother of Conley's ex-boyfriend.

Conley had sought a new trial under the claim her previous defense attorneys were ineffective.

Conley's first trial ended in a hung jury in May of 2017. At the second trial, Judge Michael Dwyer told the jury they could consider the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter.

When a juror reported to Dwyer that they were still undecided, he sent them back to continue deliberation.

Conley was later convicted of the manslaughter charge.

She has since tried to overturn her conviction on appeal, but both times were rejected.

November's Hearing

Conley's new attorney, Syracuse-based Swartz, questioned her former attorneys about how they conducted the case.

Her first attorney, Christopher Pelli, testified he made a mistake when reviewing a search warrant for Conley's phone and that he "failed to notice they didn't use the word 'search.'"

Judge Dwyer reminded that Pelli's case ended with a hung jury and the court cannot overturn that outcome.

Conley's second attorney, Frank Policelli, took to the stand and defended his strategy for defending his client. He testified about his choices in summoning witnesses and presenting certain evidence to the court.

Policelli reminded the court that Conley was ultimately "acquitted of murder," which he believes was the best result.

In addition to the two former attorneys, a third witnesses was called to the stand. The witness was an expert in medicine and testified about the effects of colchicine poisoning and how long it takes for symptoms to take effect.

Judge Dwyer was unmoved by the claims and ruled Tuesday that Conley will serve the remainder of her sentence and is not entitled to a new trial.

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