In the small town of Cherryfield, Maine, the summer of 2000 was shattered by the unexpected death of Robert F. "Bobby" Leighton. On July 6, 2000, the 26-year-old man was found deceased at his home. An employee of Sinclair Builders, his sudden passing was not from natural causes. It was soon discovered that he had lost his life to gun violence, a revelation that would lead to a lengthy legal battle for the woman accused of his killing.
Following Leighton's death, police arrested Malia J.
Lowry. She was subsequently charged with intentional and knowing murder. The case proceeded to a jury trial, where the details of that fateful July day were presented. After deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the murder charge but found Lowry guilty of the lesser-included offense of manslaughter. The court sentenced her to a term of fifteen years with the Department of Corrections, with all but eight years suspended, to be followed by six years of probation.
The legal saga did not end with the conviction. Lowry later appealed the judgment, arguing that the voir dire process, the questioning of potential jurors, was flawed and prejudicial. Her appeal contended that the trial court had not adequately questioned prospective jurors about their potential biases, particularly concerning experiences with domestic violence or the criminal justice system. The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine eventually heard the appeal and, in a decision dated March 24, 2003, vacated the original judgment and remanded the case for a new trial, agreeing that the jury selection process had been compromised.
