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CARTHAGE, Texas (AP) - A Texas judge has appointed a special prosecutor to handle the retrial of the man whose murder conviction inspired the dark comedy "Bernie."

Judge Diane DeVasto issued the decision Tuesday, a day after Panola County District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson asked that he and his staff be removed from the case because he was now a witness.

DeVasto granted the request and appointed Assistant State Attorney General Adrienne McFarland to the retrial.

Bernie Tiede was convicted of killing wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent and storing her body in a freezer. He was released from prison after a judge agreed to reduce his sentence, and Davidson agreed that the former mortician was wrongly sentenced to life imprisonment.

DeVasto also canceled a pre-trial hearing Tuesday. No new hearings or trial dates have been set.

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