FRANKFORT — A Lexington woman convicted of arranging the murder of her alleged lover's husband 15 years ago deserves a new court hearing, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled on Friday.

        The ruling could lead to a new trial for Karen Brown, who was sentenced to life without parole for 25 years in 1986, along with Elizabeth Ann Zehnder, for helping arrange the stabbing death of Ms. Zehnder's husband, Michael Turpin. Prosecutors said the two women were lovers.

        Ms. Brown had claimed that her attorney at the time had failed to investigate the alleged mental illness of a key witness.

        The appellate court, in a 2-1 decision, reversed a 1999 Fayette Circuit Court order and said Ms. Brown should get an evidentiary hearing in the lower court.

        The witness, Keith Bouchard, testified in 1986 that he stabbed Michael Turpin to death while Ms. Brown, then 22, held Mr. Turpin.

        Ms. Brown has said Ms. Zehnder planned the slaying and manipulated her and Mr. Bouchard into doing it.

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