Letecia Stauch appointed another public defender
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The woman accused of murdering her 11-year-old stepson near Colorado Springs will once again be represented by an attorney after a hearing on Wednesday.
Stauch, who had previously dismissed her attorneys, is facing a slew of charges including first-degree murder for Gannon Stauch's death. However, months after making that decision and undergoing an Arguello advisement hearing to learn the scope of representing herself, Stauch reversed course and requested representation again.
Judge Gregory Werner confirmed Wednesday that she's now requesting an attorney, and the court would appoint a public defender for her. However, the state will have to find new attorneys to represent Stauch after a conflict of interest was found.
#Stauch just arrived in the courtroom. She’s dressed in an orange El Paso County Jail uniform. Recording of this hearing is not allowed, but I’ll keep you updated in this thread and tonight at 5, 6 and 10 on @KRDONC13.
— Sydnee Stelle (@SydneeStelle) May 5, 2021
The new development means that scheduled hearings will be pushed back. The Public Defender's Office said in court Wednesday that they wouldn't be ready for an evidentiary hearing on May 20 as originally planned.
However, Stauch said during the hearing that while she requested representation, she doesn't want public defenders to represent her. According to KRDO's Sydnee Stelle reporting inside the courtroom, Judge William Bain would decide if there's a conflict of interest that would warrant the removal of public defenders.
Following the hearing, Judge Bain did find a conflict of interest with the local public defenders appointed to her, so a new hearing will be set for next week to establish new counsel, according to District Attorney Michael Allen. It's not yet clear who will be appointed by the state to represent Stauch.
