The case of Chihan Eric Chyung, whose conviction in the June 2, 2009, shooting death of his newlywed wife, Paige Anne Bennett, was overturned last month by the state Supreme Court, is back on the docket in New London Superior Court.

Chyung, 54, has served three years of a 40-year sentence and is being held at the Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown. He appeared Tuesday before Judge Hillary B. Strackbein, who set his bond at $3 million while attorneys work to resolve his case a second time.

The reversal of his conviction has caused grief to Bennett's three adult children and other family members. 

"It's ridiculous," said Bennett's daughter, Leah Gumbs. She said she and her family had waited five years for the case to be resolved the first time and are hoping for a quicker resolution the second time. She seemed pleased to hear the case could be retried as soon as this fall if it can't be resolved with a plea deal.

The Supreme Court opinion gives new hope to Chyung's relatives, including his wife, Dayna Chyung, a longtime acquaintance whom he married while on trial for killing Bennett, and his mother. Chyung smiled in their direction when marshals guided him into the courtroom Tuesday.

Just 17 days after Chyung and Bennett were married, Chyung shot Bennett, 46, after the couple fought about expenses, according to testimony at the trial. Chyung claimed his Glock 9 mm discharged accidentally when he attempted to pack it in a suitcase and leave their Taftville home. The state contended he intentionally killed Bennett during a protracted argument.

A 12-member jury in 2014 found Chyung guilty of both murder and manslaughter, which attorney Conrad O. Seifert successfully argued before the Supreme Court in January were legally inconsistent findings. The murder charge required that the jury find Chyung acted intentionally, while the manslaughter charge required a finding that he acted with reckless disregard for human life.

Senior Assistant State's Attorney David J. Smith said the state's case is stronger than ever based on information that came out during Chyung's first trial.

"He was convicted of manslaughter, of murder," Smith said. "The state intends to fully prosecute on that."

Seifert, who stood with Chyung for a bond hearing Tuesday, is not expected to represent Chyung during his second trial. Although Dayna Chyung has assets that enabled Chyung to secure a $1.25 million bond while his case was pending, Chyung qualifies as an indigent person and will be appointed an attorney by the Public Defender's office.

Judge Barbara Bailey Jongbloed raised Chyung's bond to $5 million after his conviction, and he has remained incarcerated while his appeal was pending. Seifert asked Judge Strackbein, who will be presiding over the case until it goes to trial before a different judge, to reinstate the $1.25 million bond. Seifert argued that Chyung is now presumed innocent and could be monitored electronically while living with his wife in Norwalk. Seifert mentioned that a judge had set bail at $1 million for Richard Abate, who was charged last month with the shooting death of his wife, Connie, at their Ellington home in December 2015.

Strackbein said the Supreme Court's reversal of the guilty verdicts was procedural and was not based on the strength of the evidence in the Chyung case.

"There was no error on the part of the state," she said. "It was the jury's error."

In setting the bond at $3 million, she said Chyung represents a significant flight risk, having been found guilty of the two crimes.

It was unclear whether Chyung would be able to post the $3 million bond.

His next court date is June 5.

k.florin@theday.com