La Crosse, WI (WXOW)-- The La Crosse man convicted of reckless homicide in the drug overdose death of his girlfriend wants a new trial.
Mitchell Perner was convicted in the 2010 death of 20-year-old Shelby Perkins. Perner gave Perkins the drugs that killed her.
Perner has a new attorney, Suzanne Edwards, who alleges that Perner's original attorney, Russell Hanson, did not adequately represent him during his original trial.
Today Judge Elliot Levine heard testimony from Perner's former attorney and expected to make a ruling on the motion sometime in August.
A Sparta man, Corey Koopman, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in Perkins death. Koopman sold the drugs to Mitchell Perner.
Both are currently serving prison terms.
Shelby Perkins died from a heroin overdose. According to the Coulee Council on Addictions, heroin is a growing problem in the area and throughout Wisconsin.
"You have to figure out ok are we going to increase law enforcement, are we going to work with community people?" said Pat Ruda of the Coulee Council on Addictions. "What are we going to do? And some of that just takes time and energy, and if there's some money available for grants where local agencies can begin to work on the problem, I think that's a first step."
Ruda says heroin comes in so many different forms and potencies, it is easy to overdose.
