HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — A man on death row convicted of killing three people at Teasers’ Gentlemen’s Club in Houston County will appear in court in November where his attempt for a new trial could be dismissed.

Ryan Petersen, of Enterprise, was found guilty of capital murder in the death of two or more persons, one count of capital murder-burglary and two counts of capital murder-second-degree burglary and attempted murder in 2016.

He is attempting to get a new trial and is claiming that his defense attorneys at the time of his case were ineffective in defending him. Since then, Petersen has brought on two new attorneys, and they have filed a Rule 32 petition. But the state is trying to dismiss this petition.

A Rule 32 petition would allow Petersen to challenge the guilty verdict in his case through a trial court, which has more than 40 volumes of material.

Now the man who has been serving his sentence at Holman Prison in Atmore, Alabama will appear in court on Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

In that hearing, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office will argue against a new trial for Petersen and ask the judge in the case to dismiss the Rule 32 motion.

BACKGROUND OF THE CASE:

Petersen was arrested after the August 9, 2012, shootings at Teaser’s Gentleman’s Club located in the Wicksburg community. 

Among those killed was Tiffani Paige Grissett, 31, who was an employee of the club, Cameron Eubanks, the 20-year-old son of the club’s owner, and Thomas Robins, 59, who was a patron of the establishment. 

Petersen is believed to have become angry during a dispute with others inside Teaser’s and was subsequently escorted out of the club by security personnel.  Prosecutors, during the trial, showed a surveillance video of Petersen going to his automobile where he retrieved a handgun. He then went back inside where he is believed to have shot the four people. 

Investigators say Petersen then ran toward a wooded area where he was the target of a seven-hour manhunt which led to his arrest.