Unlike Saturday, when all major Utah media were reporting lemming-like, about the vague inflammatory hearsay statements of the one and only search warrant "return" that's actually been placed in public view in re the 1/4/12 Ogden Shootup case, only two steadfast (although yawning) Northern Utah Media reporters were found sitting in 2d District Judge Hyde's 3d floor courtroom, notebooks in hand, for this morning's much-touted Status Conference. Here are their post-hearing stories, for what it's worth:
Yep. There are a few basic things they (one or the other, or both) got right; such as the facts that this matter was tentatively set for Preliminary Hearing on July 18-20, and that today's Status Conference was rescheduled to May 14, 2012 .
Here's however what these apparently sleepy reporters missed, or otherwise failed and neglected to report:
- The July 18-20 preliminary Hearing date is what's locally referred to as a "soft setting;" and more likely than not, this hearing will again be ultimately continued to a later date.
- Despite County Attorney Dee Smith's public representations that Weber County prosecutors have already "filled" Defense Councils' discovery requests, appointed Public Defender Albright informed the court this morning that defense discovery requests have NOT BEEN COMPLETED, and that Defense Council doesn't expect such requests to be completed for even yet "another couple of weeks."
- Although Judge Hyde did orally modify his earlier order, now (as of this morning) allowing Richards' Weber County-located appointed co-counsel, Ryan Bushell, to "also sign motions written by Richards," the main reason for this seems to be, according to reliable WCF courthouse sources, that "appointed" lead Public Defender attorney Albright is "not computer savvy," operates his "law office" "out of his house," and doesn't even own a fax machine. (No. We are NOT making this up.)
- Prosecution council adamantly and inexplicably opposed Attorney Richards' above "housekeeping type" request, and demanded formal motions, moving and reply papers and argument on this silly issue, which leads us to believe there does exist "bad blood" between the politically ambitious Weber County Attorney Dee Smith and his former partner, Defense Council Randy Richards.
- Neither the Standard-Examiner nor the Salt Lake Tribune even mentions pending defense motions, which will apparently be scheduled for some uncertain future date.
- Public Defender Albright, who had heretofore failed to lodge his Rule 8 Capital Murder qualifications with the court, represented to the Court that's he'd belatedly filed them only earlier this morning. This is NOT the kind of Defense Council lapse which should inspire confidence, we'll suggest.
Who'll be the first to chime in on this?
Update 3/20/12 8:21 a.m.: The Standard carries an update story in the S-E print edition this morning, focusing on the fact that the three-day preliminary hearing set for July 18-20 "is the longest time in recent memory for a preliminary hearing," and that Judge Hyde has heightened courtroom security to heretofore unusual levels, "locking the doors to the courtroom while all hearings are in session," and dividing Stewart supporters from pro-prosecution attendees on opposite sides of the public courtroom gallery:
Conspicuously missing from Mr. Gurrister's story is a link to Defendant Stewart's support website, although the restoration of fundraising is mentioned both in the story headline and the body of Mr. Gurrister's new writeup.
