Another guilty verdict for would-be meth cook

A Newport man whose intent to manufacture methamphetamine conviction was thrown out by the state supreme court because of procedural error was re-convicted Wednesday by a Spokane jury.

Virgil Montgomery has already served his 51-month prison sentence imposed after he and a friend were arrested in 2004 with five of the nine ingredients needed to manufacture the drug.

The Washington Supreme Court tossed his conviction in an unanimous ruling in May 2008 and ordered a new trial because of procedural errors.

One justice even noted that Montgomery’s “conviction was supported by substantial evidence,” according to this article here . (Read an editorial here. )

But procedural errors dogged the conviction, and another jury was called to decide Montgomery’s guilt. It took about three hours to reach the same verdict the previous jury did: Guilty.

Deputy Prosecutor David Stevens declined to comment on the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“I could be subject to disbarment if I were to say anything negative about the opinion,” Stevens said.