September 13, 2011 by Julie Montanaro

An accused bank robber will get a new trial after the District Court of Appeals overturned his conviction for a second time.

Euriell Laidler is accused of robbing the Hancock Bank on West Tennessee Street back in May 2006.

His first conviction was overturned after the DCA ruled the defense team should have had more time to prepare for a surprise witness.

Today, the Appeals Court overturned his second conviction saying Judge Angela Dempsey made a mistake when she refused to let Laidler represent himself.

The appeals court ruling said Laidler was competent to choose to represent himself and was fully aware of the consequences of doing so.

It quoted Laidler as saying, "I'm going to win or I'm going to lose. But I'm not going to lose my life based on someone else not being properly perpared ... So that's why if I'm going to lose trial, I'm going to be able to go back to prison and lay down and wear it; when I know I done did everything I could to earn my freedom."

The appeals court overturned Laidler's conviction and ordered a new trial.