A Reisterstown man was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole this past week for the murder of a 17-year-old Eldersburg girl in 1998. The sentencing came after eight years of trials and appeals.

Judge Lawrence Daniels of the Baltimore County Circuit Court denied John Miller IV's request for a new trial and on Nov. 17 sentenced him to life in prison.

On July 23, 1998, Miller, now 36, allegedly lured Shen Poehlman, 17, to his apartment by hiring her to baby-sit his nephew, according to The Baltimore Sun.When she came over, he assaulted, robbed and fatally strangled her.

Miller was originally sentenced to death in February 2000 after being found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree sexual offense, robbery and false imprisonment.

The Maryland Court of Appeals reversed the death sentence four years later and ordered a new hearing because of concerns that a state witness may have lied in his testimony.

Miller was granted his most recent trial in August 2007, after striking a plea agreement with prosecutors, according to the Sun.

The trial was postponed for months as Miller kept trying to undo the plea agreement and accused his lawyers of tricking him, until the judge appointed new attorneys to represent him.

With this sentencing, Miller still has appeal options left.

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