On Tuesday January 20, news reports revealed that the appeal of Hemy Neuman, dubbed the “Dunwoody Day Care Killer,” would be heard by the Georgia Supreme Court. Neuman was convicted in 2012 in the murder of Rusty Sneiderman, husband of Neuman’s mistress, Andrea Sneiderman. Neuman killed Sneiderman in the parking lot of the preschool in Dunwoody his own son attended.
Neuman’s defense team is appealing their client’s conviction based on four separate arguments. Andrea Sneiderman worked for Neuman, who was her supervisor. It was found by a jury at a later date that Andrea had lied on the stand regarding the affair with Neuman. She denied the affair, but was convicted of perjury in 2013.
Lawyers for Neuman say that the false testimony of Sneiderman was the basis for his conviction. In addition, his defense team claims that evidence from two defense consultant doctors who visited Neuman in jail should not have been allowed by the judge in the case. Neuman had been seeing a family therapist for a mood disorder, and was called suicidal by that therapist. Neuman’s lawyers said the records of his treatment should have been allowed in court.
According to his attorneys, Neuman’s affair with Sneiderman led him into the psychosis that resulted in the death of Rusty Sneiderman. Because of Andrea’s false testimony in the case, defense attorneys believe the conviction should be thrown out.
A decision in the case had not been made at the time of the latest news reports.
Rusty Sneiderman was shot at the daycare in November of 2010; Neuman initially pleaded not guilty, but changed that plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. He was diagnosed with psychosis and Bipolar disorder by two medical experts. He was found guilty but mentally ill, and sentenced to life without parole.
Appealing a conviction is a complicated and tedious process. As every Michigan criminal appeals attorney knows, the grounds to support overturning a conviction must be extremely solid and compelling. Even then, it is never an easy or sure win.
If you have been wrongly convicted of a crime, consult with a lawyer who is highly experienced and skilled in the criminal appeals process. Without a capable attorney, your efforts to have your conviction reversed may be in vain.