Will Columbia man convicted of murder get a new trial?

The top lawyer for a Columbia man convicted of killing his wife in 2019 and burying her in Rock Bridge state park wants a new trial. St. Louis defense attorney Scott Rosenblum has filed a five-page motion for a new trial, saying Boone County Judge Brouck Jacobs erred in admitting one-thousand photographs during the trial. The photos were of Joseph Elledge and Menggi Ji’s daughter Anna, along with photos of Ji holding Anna. Rosenblum argues that “this evidence was admitted for the sole purpose of prejudicing the jury against the defendant.”  Rosenblum also says Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight improperly argued that the jury should “send a message” during his closing arguments.