A District man convicted of murder is getting a new trial after an appeals court ruled his attorney was improperly barred from questioning a detective about allegations of coaching witnesses. The appeals court also said the trial judge erred in preventing Damon Q. Smith’s attorney from introducing a statement the slain man made about a stabbing attack for which Smith was also convicted.

A D.C. Superior Court jury convicted Smith of fatally shooting Bradley Gant at the Anacostia Metro station in March 2004 and of stabbing him during a fight a few weeks before the slaying.