Judge to consider post-conviction relief in 1957 killing

SYCAMORE, Ill. (AP) - A judge could decide in March if a man serving a life sentence in northern Illinois girl's death in 1957 could get another shot at an appeal.

Jack McCullough appeared in court Thursday for the first time since 2012 when he was sentenced in the death of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph of Sycamore.

Another judge in September dismissed McCullough's request for post-conviction relief. But McCullough filed a successive motion Dec. 11 in another attempt to appeal.

McCullough believes a woman he was dating in 1957 has new information that would prove his innocence. His motion claims prosecutors didn't want her to testify in the trial.

The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle (http://bit.ly/1PvIp9K ) reports that the judge on Thursday set a deadline for DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack to file a response to McCullough's petition.

The case will reconvene March 2.

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Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.daily-chronicle.com