TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa judge on Thursday denied a renewed motion for judgment of acquittal and a new trial for a man convicted of stabbing his girlfriend to death in May 2022.
Matthew Terry was not in court as his attorneys moved for an acquittal or new trial.
The trial wrapped up in mid-November when a jury found Matthew Terry guilty of first-degree murder and recommended a life sentence in prison. Their recommendation for life in prison means Terry will not have the possibility of parole, according to a Hillsborough County Court spokesman.
Prosecutors on Thursday argued the motions were based on a reiteration of numerous issues judges had already ruled on through the case. Judge Christopher Sabella agreed and stood by those rulings.
"I'm going to deny the renewed motion for judgment of acquittal and the motion for new trial at this time," Sabella said in court.
Sabella also addressed Hillsborough County prosecutor, Justin Diaz, who brought up a jailhouse phone call during the trial that was not previously shared with the defense. He imposed sanctions, requiring Diaz to talk about this with law school students in a death penalty class at Western Michigan University-Cooley Law School in Tampa.