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Dylan Yang Homicide Conviction To Be Appealed

Yang, 16, Was Sentenced In October To 13 Years In Prison

By
Jacob Byk/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The reckless homicide conviction of 16-year-old Dylan Yang of Wausau will be appealed.

The court case drew national attention after Yang, 15 years old at the time, killed 13-year-old Isaiah Powell by stabbing him twice in the back during a confrontation between two groups of boys.

He was sentenced to 13 years in prison and 17 years of extended supervision last month after being tried in adult court in Marathon County. He could have received the maximum sentence of 60 years in prison.

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Yang’s defense attorney, Harry Hertel, filed paperwork Tuesday stating he intends to appeal the conviction, according to online court records. Hertel was unavailable for comment by deadline Friday.

Yang’s case became a cause for Hmong activists from as far away as California, who questioned the fairness of the criminal justice system, and said the teenager should have been tried in juvenile court