Judge dismisses case filed by Tapp

Seventh District Judge Joel Tingey has dismissed a civil case filed by convicted murderer Christopher Tapp.

Tapp was convicted of the June 1996 murder of Angie Dodge at her I Street apartment in Idaho Falls. The lawsuit sought to overturn Tapp’s conviction.

He is serving a 25-year-to-life prison sentence after confessing to his involvement in the crime. Tapp’s public defender, John Thomas, had claimed the confession was coerced and without merit.

Tapp originally filed the case in October 2012, and the state filed a motion to dismiss the case in March of this year.

Tingey dismissed Tapp’s case with prejudice after a hearing for post-conviction relief in Idaho Falls on Thursday morning.

This is the third petition from Tapp that has been dismissed.

A fourth petition based on new DNA technology was filed on April 30.

The prosecution has 28 days to respond after a post conviction relief is filed.