WAILUKU — A court ruling rejected the appeal of a man serving a life sentence for the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend.
WAILUKU — A court ruling rejected the appeal of a man serving a life sentence for the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend.
A jury convicted Steven Capobianco in 2016 and he appealed, claiming prosecutorial misconduct. In his appeal, he argued that a break in jury deliberations around Christmas prejudiced him because it would be impossible for jurors to avoid hearing news reports or public opinion about the case.
The 2014 disappearance of Carly “Charli” Scott prompted a volunteer search of Maui. She was five months pregnant with Capobianco’s son.
The state Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled there was sufficient evidence for jurors to convict Capobianco, The Maui News reported Wednesday.
Capobianco “intentionally or knowingly caused Scott’s death,” the court order said in affirming convictions of murder and arson for setting fire to her vehicle.
Capobianco, 30, is incarcerated at Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, according to records.
Attorney Gerald Johnson, who represented Capobianco in his appeal, told the Wailuku newspaper he would seek state Supreme Court review of the appeals court decision.
