The sentence and conviction of an Iowa, La., man accused of kidnapping an 8-month-old baby have been reversed.

Marcel Dugar was sentenced in 2021 to 36 years in prison after being found guilty of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and aggravated kidnapping. The sentence was set to run consecutively to time being served for a 1999 conviction for armed robbery and first-degree robbery.

Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Bethany Bryant previously told the American Press Dugar entered a home through a kitchen window without authorization in 2020 and forcibly took the infant out of the arms of the child’s grandmother. Deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office later located Dugar at another residence and transported him to the sheriff’s office.

The child was returned home uninjured, Bryant said.

Dugar was sentenced to six years for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and 30 years for aggravated kidnapping. His sentences were set to run concurrently with the first five years to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Upon release, Dugar was required to register as a sex offender.

Dugar — who had sought to represent himself during his trial and was denied — appealed the conviction, citing insufficient evidence, the denial of his right to self-representation and excessive sentence.

The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal said it finds merit in Dugar’s denial of self-representation and has reversed the conviction and remanded his case back to 14th Judicial District Court. The panel said it will not at this time consider Dugar’s other claims.

On June 17, 2021, Dugar — appearing before via audio-visual transmission — asked the trial court he be permitted to represent himself.

“I know real clear that I have a Constitutional right and I’m adequate and I have enough education to do it,” Dugar told the judge. “I have the experience. I done been through this before; so I’m not seeing why I’m being denied unjustly and without reason.”

After the trial court denied his request, Dugar noted his objection for the record. He also rejected a plea deal offered by the District Attorney’s Office.

Dugar “asserted his right to self-representation months ahead of trial, so it does not appear to have been a mere dilatory tactic,” the appeals court ruled.