Panel of Judges to Review Former Long Valley Man's Overturned Murder Conviction

Less than a year after his murder conviction was overturned, Stephen Scharf’s case is back before a panel of judges to see if he belongs in jail or not.

The former Washington Township man accused of pushing his wife off the Palisades Cliffs in 1992 was convicted of murder in 2011, then had his verdict overturned in 2014 when a panel of appellate judges concluded the trial judge allowed hearsay and prejudicial testimony from friends and a counselor of the victim, Jody Ann Scharf, according to nj.com.

On Thursday, the state Supreme Court announced it will now review the overturned murder conviction decision, nj.com reported.

Scharf has always maintained his innocence, saying his late wife was drunk at the time of the incident, and that she slipped and fell. Jody Ann Scharf had a $700,000 life insurance policy that was taken out just months before her death, and she allegedly told Stephen Scharf she wanted a divorce.

According to nj.com, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said if the overturned ruling stands, he will retry Scharf.

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