Former Kirksville Mayor Debbie Masten
KIRKSVILLE, MO -- A former Kirksville mayor is trying again to clear her name.
Former mayor Debbie Masten was found guilty in federal court back in 2007 of setting a fire that damaged her business, the former Too Talls Two in Kirksville. Masten's trial lasted two weeks, with the jury coming back with its guilty verdict in about two hours.
Masten was released from federal prison in April of this year. She previously had filed an appeal in 2010. That appeal was denied.
In her new appeal, Masten claims that no reasonable jury could have concluded she set the fire because she remained alone inside the bar for less than two minutes.
Masten also challenges the surveillance video used by the prosecution in the case, saying the prosecution did not supply the original VHS copy of the tape and instead provided a degraded copy of the video on DVD.
Masten is asking for a new trial.
To view the appeal document click here.