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Second trial for mother accused of setting fire

Posted at 6:28 AM, Jun 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-26 06:28:48-04

BALTIMORE (AP)  A woman accused of intentionally setting a fire that killed six of her children more than two decades ago is going on trial for a second time.

The Baltimore Sun reports that prosecutors will re-try Tonya Lucas for the 1992 deaths. Lucas was convicted of first-degree felony murder, but her convictions were overturned in 2015 due to unreliable techniques used by fire investigators.

Prosecutors accused Lucas of setting fire to the home in order to get help from the Red Cross because she was going to be evicted. Lucas says she's innocent and was framed.

The trial is set to begin on Monday with opening arguments. It's expected to last six weeks.

Defense attorneys say investigators in did not "appropriately consider, much less rule out, all possible accidental causes."