May 29--An appeals court has affirmed a life prison term on a meth conviction for a man who was acquitted on two murder counts stemming from a fire that killed two people at a Tulsa apartment complex.
At a January 2012 trial, Tulsa County jurors handed Mark William Roberts a life sentence after finding him guilty on a charge of manufacturing or attempting to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance -- methamphetamine.
The jury cleared Roberts, now 48, of two counts of "felony murder" and one count of first-degree arson.
In a recent 5-0 decision, the state Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the drug conviction and the life prison term with parole possible.
Investigators said a March 2009 fire began in Roberts' residence at the Royal Arms Apartments, in the 5100 block of South Norfolk Avenue, and spread to other apartments.
Maria Martinez, 39, and Armando Nunez, 35, who were in a neighboring apartment, died after being burned in the blaze.
Another neighbor, Nikki Cain, 55, was rescued from her apartment by firefighters but suffered smoke inhalation and brain damage.
Roberts also was burned in the fire.
In the trial's sentencing stage, jurors learned that Roberts had three previous felony convictions -- two for possessing a controlled drug and one for possessing a precursor substance without a permit.
Prosecutors maintained that the blaze started while Roberts was cooking methamphetamine.
Defense lawyers asserted that the prosecution didn't prove that there was an active meth lab in Roberts' apartment and did not prove what caused the fire.
Bill Braun 918-581-8455
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