Aug 14, 2009 1 min read

The state Superior Court upheld a Greene County Court ruling denying a Mt. Morris man’s petition for post-conviction relief from a sentence of 1 to 5 years in prison and payment of $70,000 restitution, which he received after pleading no contest to arson. A panel of Superior Court judges issued a ruling on Aug. 5 upholding Greene County Judge H. Terry Grimes’ decision denying the petition filed by Paul Stephen Grim, 34. State police charged Grim with arson and felony criminal mischief after he destroyed his mother-in-law’s house, where he had been living, after his wife obtained a protection-from-abuse order excluding him from the home on June 30, 2007, according to court records.

In April 2008, Grim pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 1 to 5 years in prison and ordered to pay Gretel Beabout $70,000 in restitution. The prison term was to run concurrently with his sentences in three other criminal cases, but he was given credit for time served and received a recommendation to be considered for the state’s Boot Camp program.

Grim argued that he didn’t understand the effects of his plea.