A method and apparatus for decoding encoded data bits of a wireless communication transmission are provided. A set of a-priori bit values corresponding to known bit values of the encoded data bits may be generated. Decoding paths that correspond to decoded data bits that are inconsistent with the a-priori bit values may be removed from the possible decoding paths to consider, and decoding the encoded data bits by selecting a decoding path from remaining decoding paths of the possible decoding paths that were not removed. Multiple hypotheses, each corresponding to a different set of a-prior bit values may be evaluated, with the decoded data for a hypothesis selected based on the evaluation output for further processing.