Rodriguez Asks For New Hearing

A man sentenced to death for the killing of a

University of North Dakota student is asking for a new hearing in

front of a federal appeals court.

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., of Crookston, Minn., a convicted sex

offender, was found guilty in 2006 of killing 22-year-old Dru

Sjodin of Pequot Lakes, Minn. She was kidnapped from a

Grand Forks shopping mall on Nov. 22, 2003, and her body was found

the following April. Authorities said she had been raped, beaten

and stabbed.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in

September affirmed the death sentence against Rodriguez. He filed a

motion Monday asking for a rehearing in front of the entire circuit

court.

Rodriguez said the September ruling conflicts with other circuit

court and Supreme Court rulings.

Federal prosecutors could not be reached for comment.

Tags: dru sjodin, rodriguez, und