(AP) -- ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A Missouri appeals court has refused to overturn an order that freed a St. Louis man who spent nearly 30 years in prison for the 1982 slaying of a St. Louis woman.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports a three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected Attorney General Chris Koster's appeal of a ruling last month that freed 56-year-old George Allen.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green in November faulted city police for failing to turn over evidence to prosecutors and conducting a deeply flawed interrogation of Allen.

Green voided Allen's convictions for rape, murder, sodomy and burglary in the death of 31-year-old Mary Bell.

Koster's office says it will not appeal further, and St. Louis prosecutors say they won't retry Allen.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

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