Marni Yang, convicted in 2011 killing of former Bears player's girlfriend, fighting for new trial

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WLS) -- Marni Yang filed a petition seeking a new trial more than five years ago.

The hearing that started Monday in Waukegan is designed to go over what her defense team claims is new evidence, which they hope will lead to a new trial.

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She's been in prison more than 14 years already.

On Monday, Yang sat quietly at the defense table, listening closely to testimony.

Her father and daughter were also in the gallery, hoping to convince the judge to throw out her 2011 murder conviction and give her a new trial.

"We're pretty confident at the end of this she is going to get a new trial and get her life back," father Larry Merar said.

Yang was convicted in 2011 for the murders of 42-year-old Rhoni Reuter and her unborn child at Reuter's Deerfield condo in 2007.

Reuter was seven months pregnant with a child of former Chicago Bear Shaun Gayle, with whom Yang also had a relationship.

Yang was sentenced to life in prison.

Her attorney says he has uncovered numerous pieces of new evidence, which prove Yang could not have been the shooter.

"We know the shooter had to be 5-foot-9 or taller, and a person who was 5-feet tall could not have fired this shot," attorney Jed Stone said.

Private investigator Art Borchers on the stand testified the shots would have to have been fired from someone much taller than Yang because the shots entered Reuter's body at a downward angle, and she was 5-foot-9.

Prosecutors have Long maintained that Yang acted alone in a jealous rage. Among the evidence they provided in the initial trial was a secretly taped confession Yang allegedly made to a friend of hers at a restaurant.

And Gayle's attorney believes prosecutors have the right killer behind bars.

"I think our justice system was unequivocal the first time around. The evidence in this case was unbelievably strong," attorney Donna Rotunno said.

Neither Gayle nor anyone from Reuter's family has been in court. The hearing is expected to last three days.