Spirit Lake, IA (KICD)– The woman convicted in June of last year for a Lake Park Murder has dropped her request for an appeal according to online court documents. In her trial last year, Allison Decker says she was at the home of the victim – Angel Bastman – along with Justice Berntson on the day the woman was killed.

Berntson plead guilty to attempted murder and then testified against Decker.

The Dickinson County News is quoting Decker’s new attorney – R. Ben Stone of Des Moines – as saying that act of dropping the appeal is a step in seeking a new trial. Stone contends Decker’s previous lawyer made numerous, important mistakes.