Man convicted of burning down a Jefferson City sporting goods store may get a new trial

A man convicted of burning down a Jefferson City sporting goods store may get a new trial.

Kurt Steidley was found guilty by a jury in January of setting Everharts Outdoor on fire in 2011.

He was set to be sentenced Wednesday, but instead his attorney Shane Farrow asked for a retrial stating there as a disclosure violation during the original trial.

Circuit Judge Dan Green took the motion for a new trial under advisement and a decision will be made later this month.

The defense says an interview between fire officials and Steidley that was used during the January trial was not properly disclosed.

In that interview, Steidley told fire officials that he hurt his head at his farm in Sedalia and was not at Everharts at all the day of the fire.

However, in other testimony used during the trial, Steidley said he hurt his head while at Everharts on the day it went up in flames.

Farrow says this interview was key in the jury’s decision and feels the alleged improper disclosure proms a new trial.

“This testimony, that we had no prior knowledge of, of when the injury occurred according to Chief Turner, tampered our defense and prevented us from being able to prepare to defend that particular revelation,” said Farrow.

Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson said in court he does not believe a disclosure violation was made.

A judge will either grant a new trial or sentence Steidley at the next court date on March 26th.