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'Bernie' Victim's Family Fights For Voice In Court

Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson
/
The Texas Tribune
Bernhardt "Bernie" Tiede exits the Panola County Court building with his attorney Jodi Cole after his hearing on Feb. 5 in Carthage.

When the East Texas mortician who inspired the movie "Bernie" was let out of prison, family members of the elderly woman he killed found out about his release from reporters.

Now, they're fighting to have their protests heard inside a courtroom.

BernieTiede's attorneys have opposed a request by the family of 81-year-old Marjorie Nugent to argue its side to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The court is still considering whether to formally approve Tiede's release from prison on bond this past May.

Nugent's granddaughter, Shanna Nugent, said Friday that she's fighting to defend Marjorie since she can no longer defend herself.

Tiede was given life in 1999 for shooting Nugent in the East Texas town of Carthage. Interest in the case surged after the movie's 2011 release.