A man who was convicted of murder in a 1990 sex slaying asked a Manitoba court to release him on bail Wednesday, more than a year after the province announced forensic evidence used to convict him was wrong.

Kyle Unger, 34, is serving a life sentence for the murder of 16-year-old Brigitte Grenier. Last year, the province released the results of DNA tests proving the single hair used to put him at the scene of the crime wasn't his.

Unger and the provincial Justice Department asked the federal justice minister to review his conviction. In January, he opted to stay behind bars instead of appearing at a bail hearing, in part because he believed it would hurry the review process if he stayed in jail.

Kyle Unger (file photo)

But more than a year after the DNA results were released, Unger says he's heard nothing from Ottawa.

His lawyer, James Lockyer, said new evidence exonerates Unger and his client should be released on bail. Lockyer spent the morning arguing in court that DNA evidence and a jailhouse informant's testimony used to convict Unger were faulty.

He added that a confession by Unger used as evidence at his trial was the stupid mistake of a teenager trying to impress undercover police officers posing as criminals.

Two of Unger's uncles also appeared in court, promising to support their nephew if he is released from prison and help him earn a living.

Crown lawyers say they oppose Unger's release. Several members of the Grenier family were also in court.

The judge is not expected to make an immediate decision on the matter.