ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996 TAG: 9602280114
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: Associated Press
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
THE CONFESSED KILLER of his ex-girlfriend's parents should have part of his appeal dismissed while other parts are studied, a state attorney told the Virginia Supreme Court.
An attorney for the state has asked the Virginia Supreme Court to dismiss three points on which Jens Soering is appealing his convictions in the murders of Nancy and Derek Haysom.
Soering, 29, the son of a German diplomat, confessed to slashing his then-girlfriend's parents to death, but contends in an appeal before the state's high court that a judge erred by letting jurors hear the confession.
Soering also is arguing that the judge believed Soering was guilty before the trial and that the trial should have been moved because of pretrial publicity.
Assistant Attorney General John H. McLees Jr. asked the high court to dismiss three of the five arguments Soering has raised in appealing his 1990 conviction. Most of Soering's contentions already have been denied or could have been raised before the appeals court in 1991. He took his case unsuccessfully several times to the Court of Appeals.
Soering claims he told police that he committed the crimes only because he thought his father's diplomatic immunity would shield him from trial in the United States and allow him to protect his girlfriend, Elizabeth Haysom. Soering says he made the confession after repeatedly requesting an attorney.
Elizabeth Haysom, now 31, pleaded guilty in 1987 to helping plan the murders, but she has denied participating in them. She is serving a 90-year sentence at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland County.
McLees has asked for an additional 30 days to respond to two other issues Soering has raised.
In one issue, Soering claims the prosecution never told him about the arrest days after the slayings of two men who were caught with knives and a travel bag. Soering's appeal says a bag and thousands of dollars reportedly were missing from the Haysom home. The two later were convicted of murder in a stabbing within days of the Haysom slayings.
The other issue contends that lead attorney Richard Neaton did a poor job defending Soering because of emotional or mental problems.
Neaton's license was revoked in 1993 after he was charged with lying to a client and misusing another client's money. He told the Michigan Bar Disciplinary Board he suffered from emotional or mental problems during Soering's trial and first round of appeals.
Soering claims Neaton failed to challenge vigorously the contention that a bloody sockprint came from Soering despite information that the print was made by a foot much smaller than his. Such information, Soering contends, would have reinforced his argument that Elizabeth Haysom committed the murders, possibly with help from others.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Soering. color.by CNB