Colorado Supreme Court Takes Up Czech Au Pair Case

DENVER (AP) - The Colorado Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a Czech au pair convicted of first-degree murder should get a new trial.

The court issued its decision in Martin Novotny's case on Monday.

The Colorado Court of Appeals in March threw out Novotny's conviction and ordered a new trial because a judge didn't allow an attorney with the attorney general's office to be removed from the jury for cause. Defense attorneys used another challenge to remove the attorney.

In a case that garnered international attention, a jury in September 2006 convicted Novotny in the slaying of 24-year-old Ana Elisa Toledo, an au pair from Brazil. Novotny told investigators he "blacked out" in December 2005 during a fight when Toledo told him their relationship was over.

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