ALTERNATIVE PERPETRATOR ~ exhibit L

When the defendant seems like the only person who has a motive, the jury will usually convict him or her on the basis of there being no one else who would have likely done it. A defense attorney needs to be able to demonstrate that there is solid evidence that the crime was committed by another person, something which is known as the alternative perpetrator strategy.

In the case of Amy Allwine, her life had been threatened six months before her death and all the evidence at the time pointed to it being a fellow dog-trainer, not her husband, who had gone online to a dark web hitman site.

THE DIGITAL TRAIL ~ exhibit I & exhibit J & exhibit K

The digital trail that was so damaging to Stephen's case was largely unchallenged by his defense attorney who admitted to not fully grasping the technical details. Questions that could have been asked and challenges that could have been raised never happened at the trial. 

WAS DIVORCE A MOTIVE? ~ exhibit F & exhibit G & exhibit H

Although divorce was presented as a motive for the murder, the prosecutor provided no proof that Stephen ever considered a divorce or had taken any steps to precipitate one. The jurors and public were informed that divorce would have destroyed his standing in his church. However, as part of his petition of post conviction relief, Stephen provided two divorce petitions. 

The first belonged to the president of the United Church of God that Stephen attended and served in. The second belonged to a fellow alumni of Ambassador College, the church's de facto seminary, who, like Stephen, served as a church elder.

Neither men had been penalized by United Church of God for being divorced. 

Exhibit F & exhibit G consisted of the divorce petitions, which contained sensitive information to the parties involved. 

COTTAGE GROVE POLICE DEPT., SUPPORTING EVIDENCE ~ exhibit D

 

EXPERT MEDICAL WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE ~ exhibit C

 

EXPERT DIGITAL FORENSIC WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE ~ exhibit B

 

TIME OF DEATH ~ exhibit A & exhibit E

 Dr. Kelly Mills of the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office testified that Mrs. Allwine's death occurred 4-6 hours prior to the arrival of Mr. Jonathan Banks, the  investigator. The crime scene log shows that Jonathan Banks arrived at the scene at 11:31 PM. Rigor mortis was just beginning to develop when Mr. Banks examined the body. This indicated a time of death close to 7:00 PM, and not in the afternoon when Stephen was home alone with Amy.