Dye awaits a hearing late last year.

The attorney for 18-year old Garrett Dye has filed an appeal of his murder conviction in the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Hopkinsville attorney Dennis Ritchie retained the right to appeal Circuit Judge Tyler Gill’s ruling to allow Dye’s confession in the hours following the murder of 9-year old Amy Dye on February 4^th, 2010.

Ritchie said the confession was coerced and given under somewhat false pretenses. He would also say Dye had requested an attorney before the confession, but never received one.

Judge Gill ruled in the Commonwealth’s favor, allowing the taped confession to be used as evidence.

A jury never got to hear the confession, as Dye accepted a conditional plea deal and pled guilty to murder in exchange for a 50 year sentence. He will be eligible for parole in 20 years. Ritchie said his client accepted the plea deal in order to get the appeal process rolling as soon as possible.

An employee of the State Supreme Court Offices said there was no immediate schedule set up for when a hearing may be held in Dye’s case.

Interviewed after Dye’s plea in court, Ritchie said publicity after the release of state cabinet records would make it hard to get a fair trial in Todd County, if the Supreme Court rules in his favor.

Judge Gill warned Dye that cases rarely get overturned in the Supreme Court during the court hearing last year and made him admit to what he did before accepting his guilty plea.

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01/04/2012/am