A Lake Charles man sentenced to 75 years in prison for armed robbery had his conviction and sentence overturned by a state district court judge, his attorney said.

Kenneth Billingsley, 25, was convicted of robbing two women sitting in a truck at Goosport Recreational Center on April 9, 2008. He was found guilty of armed robbery and armed robbery with a firearm.

Judge Kent Savoie sentenced Billingsley, who was on probation for theft at the time of the crime, to 75 years in prison, a determination that was upheld by the Third Circuit Court of Appeal. Prosecutors filed a multiple offender bill.

However, on Aug. 22, Savoie threw out the conviction and sentence, citing ineffective counsel, said defense attorney Ben Cormier, who represented Billingsley during the hearing. Cormier did not represent him during the trial.

Savoie set bond at $1 million.

Billingsley will receive his third trial, because a hung jury resulted in a mistrial in February 2010. Billingsley was brought to trial again and convicted in September 2010.

Billingsley filed the motion for a new trial himself because an alibi witness was neither called nor subpoenaed during the second trial, Cormier said.

A status conference was set for Sept. 17 and a new trial date was set for Dec. 15.

Brian Paul, Billingsley’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to armed robbery in 2009 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

One of the women reportedly identified Billingsley. Paul testified in both of Billingsley’s trials.(MGNonline)