A man convicted of murder is asking for a judge to vacate his conviction and release him.

According to court filings, 20-year-old Jacob LaRosa's attorney Stephanie F. Kessler asked Judge W. Wyatt McKay to consider vacating his sentence and murder conviction.

LaRosa was 15-years-old when he was convicted of murdering 94-year-old Marie Belcastro.

21 News reported in October that LaRosa's attorney Lynn Maro filed an appeal with the 11th District Court of Appeals to overturn his conviction.

Maro argued in October that LaRosa's case should have been heard in juvenile court.

LaRosa pleaded no contest and was found guilty of aggravated murder, attempted rape, and theft for breaking into Belcastro's home, attempting to rape her and beating her to death with a heavy metal flashlight.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Maro argued that the case should have been heard in juvenile court, citing a 1982 United States Supreme Court decision that found age is "more than a chronological fact," but also an indication that juveniles are not generally capable of understanding the severity of their actions, which should be taken into consideration at sentencing.

She went on to say that LaRosa had a low IQ and several developmental disorders, including ADHD and learning disabilities. Maro also claimed that LaRosa had a difficult home life.

A decision has not yet been made on the appeal.