State Supreme Court overturns Rolanda Doyle’s murder conviction

BISMARCK, ND (KMOT) – The North Dakota Supreme Court says a lower court abused its discretion regarding expert testimony in a Bismarck murder case.

The High Court overturned the April 2023 murder and child abuse conviction of Rolanda Doyle in a judgment handed down on Friday.

Prosecutors said Doyle was responsible for the death of her five-year-old grandson, who was in her care, while the defense argued the child died of natural causes.

Doyle was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole last August.

On appeal, the high court ruled that the lower court erred in overruling Doyle’s objection to the testimony of state forensic examiner Dr. Barrie Miller without reviewing Miller’s autopsy report.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and sent the case back to the district court.

As of Friday, no hearings had been scheduled in the case.

Doyle, 42, remains in custody, according to online records.

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