As Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to adjust to life outside of prison, reports have now revealed that Nicholas Godejohn, her ex and accomplice in the murder of her mother, has filed a new appeal.
To free Gypsy Rose from Dee Dee Blanchard’s infamous alleged emotional and physical abuse, Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee numerous times before he and Gypsy Rose ran off together.
The couple was eventually found by authorities and charged with the murder of Dee Dee. Gypsy Rose was sentenced to ten years in prison after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. She was granted parole after serving nearly eight years of her sentence.
In 2018, Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder of Dee Dee Blanchard and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. E! News reports that during his trial, his attorney argued that he had diminished capacity due to having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He also has an IQ on the low side of average.
The attorneys of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s ex have since filed a new appeal over his conviction, dated Dec. 5.
Court TV stated that the appeal alleges that Godejohn’s “counsel failed to act as a reasonably competent attorney under the same or similar circumstances by failing to fully investigate and present evidence from a qualified neuropsychologist specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder to support the diminished capacity defense.”
The Public Defender of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Ex Speaks Out
During an interview with KY3, the public defender of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s ex, Tyler Coyle, spoke out about the appeal. He stated that during Godejohn’s last trial, his mental state did not meet the requirements for first-degree murder.
“The jury should have only found him of second-degree murder,” Coyle insisted. “If he were to get a new trial then it would start over and there wouldn’t be any previous finding of first-degree or second-degree.”
Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s ex filed an appeal not long after his conviction. He had claimed the court had abused its discretion in excluding testimony from a defense psychological expert about ASD.
The judge denied the initial motion for appeal. This was due to the “defense counsel is not obligated to shop for expert witnesses who might provide more favorable testimony.”
A judge also denied a motion filed by Godejohn’s attorneys in Feb. 2023 to set aside his murder conviction. They claimed his sentence was based on alleged poor representation. They asked for a new trial at the time.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard was released from prison on Dec. 28. She is now married to Ryan Anderson.