Court rejects all Doug Stewart appeals

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The Michigan Court of Appeals rejected every motion made by Doug Stewart in his appeal to overturn his conviction for killing his estranged wife, Venus, in 2010.

Stewart claimed he was denied due process because an FBI electronics and forensic examier provided expert testimony after the prosecutor stipulated he wouldn't. The appeals court ruled the testimony provided was not expert testimony, but rather "lay testimony."

The court also rejected Stewart's claim he was denied a fair trial when his request to have Judge Paul Stutesman disqualified was not granted.

Stewart wanted a mistrial because of some of the testimony provided by key witness Ricky Spencer, who was Stewart's doppelganger in Virginia. The ruse was to provide Stewart an alibi at the time of Venus' disappearance. The court rejected each part of this appeal.

Prosecutorial misconduct was alleged by Stewart. Again, the court rejected that claim.

Finally, his appeal hinged on whether the jury instructions on first-degree premeditated murder were in error. In the end, the Court of Appeals concluded "there was no instructional error."

Stewart was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in April 2011.

Venus Stewart's body has never been found.

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The Court of Appeals ruling against Doug Stewart (pdf)