A U.S. District Court judge has rejected the appeal from a South Dakota death row inmate related to the death of a man from Spearfish 25 years ago. Briley Wayne Piper received the death penalty for the torture and killing of Chester Allan Poage in 2000 near Spearfish. Judge Roberto Lange’s decisio n is the result of a Feb. 28, 2025, hearing in Sioux Falls. In the decision, Lange disagreed with Piper’s claims that Piper’s counsel had not been effective in representing him and denied Piper’s request to overturn his sentence. Piper can appeal Lange’s ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Attorney General Marty Jackley said Piper has refused to take responsibility or show any remorse for the heinous murder of Chester Poage. He said the Court’s ruling is a “step forward in carrying out the jury’s verdict and assuring that the Poage family receives justice.” The decision can be found here: https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/south-dakota/sddce/5:2020cv05074/70142/145/0.pdf?ts=1742680121. ...read more read less