Michigan couple wants judge to throw out Stamos extortion case

MARQUETTE (AP) -- Two people in the Upper Peninsula who were convicted of trying to extort money from actor John Stamos are blaming their lawyers. Allison Coss and Scott Sippola are asking a judge to set aside their convictions and four-year prison sentences. They say the attorneys who represented them gave them bad advice and recommended they turn down a favorable plea deal. Prosecutors have until January to respond. In 2010, Coss and Sippola were convicted of conspiracy and using email to threaten a person's reputation. They had threatened to sell photos of Stamos with strippers and cocaine unless he paid $680,000. The FBI said the photos didn't exist. Attorney Frank Stupak Jr. says it was Coss' decision to reject a deal. Sippola's lawyer didn't return a message seeking comment. Published: Thu, Dec 6, 2012