Prep school grad's lawyer: Computer charge not supported
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - In this Tuesday Aug. 18, 2015 file photo, St. Paul's School student Owen Labrie looks around the courtroom at the start of his trial. Labrie was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old freshman girl as part of a game of sexual conquest. Labrie’s new lawyer has submitted arguments for a new trial, saying the emails between Labrie and the 15-year-old girl don't support his computer crime conviction because they were hosted by an intranet server, an weren't sent through the internet, AP Photo/Jim Cole, File) (The Associated Press)
A former New Hampshire prep school student requesting a new trial on charges of sexual assault and using a computer to lure a minor says emails between him and a 15-year-old student don't support the computer charge because they never left the school's internal intranet server.
Owen Labrie (lah-BREE') is appealing his convictions, arguing they resulted from ineffective counsel during his 2015 trial. The St. Paul's School graduate was convicted as part of a game of sexual conquest called Senior Salute.
In documents submitted Tuesday, Labrie's new lawyer says his trial lawyers failed to investigate the origins of the emails forming the basis of the felony computer charge. State law says no one shall use a computer "on-line service, internet service, or local bulletin board service" to lure a minor, but not locally hosted intranet servers.