
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 25, 1995                   TAG: 9501250065
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LAYNE TRIES TO FILE APPEAL OF MURDER CONVICTION

The Virginia Court of Appeals will decide whether to allow appeal arguments on the murder conviction of William Layne, who received two life terms in connection with the killing of his stepniece, a Rockbridge County schoolgirl.

Layne's attorney, Terry Grimes, outlined potential arguments for the court Monday.

The bulk of the arguments centered on whether the jury should have been allowed to consider that Layne abducted Phadra Carter with the intention of sexually molesting her. Defense attorneys said the evidence was insufficient to convict Layne of that crime.

The defense also contends that Layne may have been questioned improperly by police without the benefit of counsel.

Layne was convicted in March of killing Phadra, 11, after abducting her from her Arnolds Valley home in September 1993.

Phadra's body was found in a shallow grave in Botetourt County several days after she disappeared.

Layne was sentenced to two life terms.

by CNB