Convicted cop killer continues plea for new trial

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The man convicted of killing a South Bend police officer in 1999 was back in court Wednesday asking for a new trial.

Gregory Dickens, 32, says he is innocent.

For the past two days his defense attorney has been presenting new evidence they say proves Dickens deserves a new trial.

The judge has 90 days to pull the transcripts of the 1999 trial and review all of that material and weigh the evidence that was presented during the last two days.

She said it’s likely she'll need all 90 days to reach a decision.

Fifteen years have passed since Cpl. Paul Deguch was shot and killed on Talbot Avenue in South Bend.

Two years later, Dickens was tried and convicted. He was sentenced to life behind bars.

Now he is asking for another trial.

"I've put my faith in the justice system before and they haven't let me down so I'm hoping for the same outcome- that they aren't going to let me down this time,” said Annette Deguch, the widow of Paul Deguch.

Annette has been in court the last two days listening to the details of the night her husband was killed. 

"They got who they wanted to get you know. Who they needed to get. They got who they wanted to get-and that was my son- it destroyed my life,” said Annette Adkins, Gregory Dickens’ mother. 

Dickens’ attorney argued Wednesday that Dickens was forced to wear a stun belt device during his original trial that was visible to the jurors. 

The attorney argued it made Dickens look guilty to the jury. 

In the past Dickens has testified that he did not shoot Deguch, although he admitted to being there.