|
Trial delayed for former Fishers financial adviser who tried to fake his death |
 |
|
Friday, 29 January 2010 08:39 |
|
Trial delayed for former Fishers financial adviser
who tried to fake his death
Attorney for man who crashed plane dealing with ton of documents
By
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
of the IndyStar
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. -- A judge has delayed the trial of former Fishers financial adviser Marcus Schrenker because defense attorneys are still sifting through thousands of documents related to the case.
A March 8 trial date had been set for Schrenker, who is accused of misappropriating $1.5 million in investors' funds and faces nine counts of securities fraud and two counts of working as an investment adviser without being registered.
Hamilton County Superior Court Judge Steven Nation didn't set a new trial date when he discussed the case with attorneys Thursday, but attorneys expect they'll have a better idea when it could start after a March 25 pretrial conference.
Marcus Schrenker's defense attorney, Chadwick Hill, said he has been working on the case for about five months but is only halfway through reviewing thousands of documents and computer files that were seized from Marcus Schrenker's home and three businesses. Hill hopes the second half of the review will move faster, but he couldn't estimate when the case would be ready for trial.
"We are pulling needles out of haystacks" trying to find relevant information for Schrenker's defense, Hill said.
Jeff Wehmueller, Hamilton County chief deputy prosecutor, said he didn't object to Hill's request to postpone the trial because he has reviewed the material and knows "it's a bear."
As Marcus Schrenker's case progresses, Hill urged the public not to assume Schrenker is guilty.
Schrenker was sentenced to four years in federal prison last year for crashing his plane and faking his death to avoid a fraud investigation, but that doesn't mean he's guilty of his current charges, Hill said.
Marcus Schrenker is "intimately involved" in his own defense and is "aware of the public sentiment against him," Hill said.
Marcus Schrenker was solemn as he entered the court Thursday in his orange jumpsuit. It was the first time he had appeared in court in person.
"I think everybody needs to understand how helpless a feeling it is to have allegations thrown in your direction, to be devastated financially by them, to be devastated emotionally by them, to have essentially lost your family," Hill said. "{$326} People need to take those things into account when they start passing judgment on his situation."
|
|
Last Updated on Friday, 29 January 2010 08:43 |
