WBRZ - Baton Rouge

NEW ORLEANS - Defense attorneys are asking a federal judge to order a new trial, throw out the conviction or overturn the death sentence for a former New Orleans police officer found guilty of arranging a woman's murder in 1994.

The request filed Monday by a Capital Appeals Project attorney argues Len Davis has a serious mental impairment that rendered him incompetent to stand trial on charges he directed a drug dealer to shoot and kill Kim Groves after she filed a brutality complaint against him.

Defense lawyers also argue that the Justice Department had a conflict of interest in prosecuting Davis.

U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan has allowed Davis to represent himself during his post-conviction proceedings, but his standby counsel says Davis will be executed if they don't act on his behalf.