3rd trial set for man convicted of fatally beating couple

A third jury trial has been set for a man after his second successful appeal to first-degree murder charges for the beating death of a married couple camping in the Idaho County backcountry in 1983.

The Lewiston Tribune reports Idaho County prosecutor Kirk MacGregor was set to retry Mark Lankford, but the most recent appeal opened the door to defense attorneys calling on MacGregor to testify as a witness in the trial.

Lankford won on appeal after it was discovered MacGregor did not disclose the full details of a deal made with an incarcerated witness to defense attorneys.

MacGregor was dropped.

Lankford and his brother, Bryan, were convicted of beating to death couple Robert Bravence and his wife, Cheryl, and dumping the bodies.

The third trial is set for August.