Mark Sievers fights conviction and death sentence for wife's brutal murder
Mark Sievers is back in a Lee County courtroom Monday, seeking to overturn his death sentence for orchestrating the murder of his wife, Dr. Teresa Sievers. She was found bludgeoned to death with a hammer in their Bonita Springs home in 2015.
Sievers was found guilty in 2019 of hiring his longtime friend Curtis Wayne Wright Jr., who then recruited Jimmy "The Hammer" Rodgers, for a $4.43 million life insurance payout.
Wright took a plea deal and is currently serving 25 years, while Rodgers was sentenced to life.
Sievers was sentenced to death five years ago, and on Monday, he is still fighting to overturn the death penalty in his case.
During the hearing, Sievers' defense team called two witnesses to the stand in an effort to appeal his conviction and death penalty.
Kathleen Fitzgoerge, who represents Sievers' co-conspirator Jimmy Rodgers, and Michael Mummert, who previously represented Sievers during his trial, have testified.
Mummert still believes Sievers is innocent, suggesting that Curtis Wayne Wright may be the person to blame. Wright agreed to help prosecutors in the case against Sievers and Rodgers and took a plea deal, resulting in a 25-year sentence.
Mummert said Wright's story has changed every time, and it doesn't make sense. He also claims Wright may have wanted more than just a friendship with Sievers.
Michael said he felt that Mr. Wright was infatuated with Mr. Sievers. Text messages.
"Heterosexual friends don't send to each other pet names. Mr. Wright may have wanted something more," Mummert said, adding, "If there are people on the jury who are homophobic, maybe they'll hold that against Mark."
The hearing is expected to last five days, and Gulf Coast News will continue to provide updates from inside the courtroom.
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