A Hamilton County man who is serving a life sentence for murder will be allowed to have a piece of evidence in his case DNA-tested for the first time.
In 2015, Stephen Lester was found guilty of first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in connection with the death of Edward Glenn Jr.
Lester, 36, has been challenging that conviction for years, and he was adamant about having a cigarette butt found at the scene tested even if it delays his request for a new trial, his attorney Ben McGowan said in court Friday.
Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Amanda Dunn granted the testing, which will be performed by an independent laboratory. It is expected for the results to come back in about six months.
Glenn was found fatally shot on Jan. 10, 2013.
A Chattanooga officer found a bloody cigarette butt stuck to the left side of Glenn’s face at the time, and a forensic technician removed it during the autopsy, according to a motion for DNA testing.
The police department is still in possession of this piece of evidence, the motion said.
Lester argues his trial defense counsel didn’t do their due diligence when they failed to ask for forensic testing of the cigarette, the motion said.
“He asserts that DNA testing of the cigarette butt could reveal the DNA of the real killer,” the motion said.
It is one of many alleged issues that Lester has raised, his petition for post-conviction relief shows.
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Lester accused his defense counsel of failing to try to suppress a recorded call he made from jail that was used as evidence against him at trial, the petition said.
Staff file photo / Defendant Stephen Lester watches the proceedings in Judge Tom Greenholtz’s courtroom on Dec. 9, 2015, in Hamilton County Criminal Court. Lester is expected to a have a crucial piece of evidence in his case DNA tested for the first time.He also claims his attorney failed to properly cross-examine his co-defendant and key witness, Carmisha Lay, who was the only person who placed him at the scene of the crime.
During Lester’s trial, Lay said she was in the room when Glenn was killed. Lay testified that Glenn would come over for sex sometimes.
She had told Lester and another man, Eric McReynolds, that Glenn would be an easy target to rob because he was a drug dealer and had lots of money on him. Lester and Lay were both members of the Athens Park Bloods gang.
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One night when Glenn was at her house, she let Lester know Glenn was there, Lay testified at the time. Both men went over to her home.
McReynolds allegedly pistol-whipped Glenn in the head and face, and Glenn told the two men he had money in his pants on the floor.
Lester then ordered McReynolds to shoot Glenn, Lay testified.
Lester was denied a new trial in 2017, went through an unsuccessful appeals process and has been seeking post-conviction relief since 2020.
As it stands now, Lester is expected to be released at the age of 82 in 2071, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections. He is being housed at Hardeman County Correctional Facility in Whiteville.
Contact Sofia Saric at ssaric@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.