Springfield man convicted again in mother's stabbing death

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A Springfield man has been convicted again of killing his mother after a state appeals court vacated his 2012 conviction on a technicality.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports 46-year-old Michael Seal represented himself in a three-day trial that started Monday. Jurors convicted him of first-degree murder Wednesday afternoon.

Seal was originally convicted of first-degree murder in 2012 and sentenced to 40 years for the November 2009 stabbing death of his mother Darla Key. Seal lived with Key and became upset when she created a list of rules for him.

Seal appealed that conviction and a state appeals court ruled in his favor, saying his rights were violated because he was never admonished of his 20- to 60-year sentencing range in open court.

Seal is to be sentenced Jan. 11.

___

Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com