A lawyer for a Wyoming County man accused of killing a 24-year-old woman and dumping her body in the Susquehanna River, wants the judge recused from the case.
Timothy Michaels, the attorney for Phillip Walters, requested the recusal of Wyoming County President Judge Russell Shurtleff. Walters is charged with killing his live-in girlfriend, Haley Lorenzen, in December. Her body was recovered in the river July 20, in Luzerne County, about 22 miles downstream.
In a Nov. 7 pretrial hearing, Michaels argued he had only recently accessed records that he believed he should have been given a long time ago, and was denied access to a female witness who was granted immunity from prosecution in January.
One of the main points in Michael’s call for Shurtleff’s recusal is a contention that in the Nov. 7 hearing, he was asked by the judge if he was seeking a continuance, and he replied that he was not but was prepared to go to trial Nov. 18 with the limited evidence provided.
Michaels said that because District Attorney Jeff Mitchell was not asked at the same hearing if he would like a continuance, he believed there was implicit bias, in favor of the Commonwealth based on the judge’s order to postpone the trial two months.
In a response to Michael’s motion for the judge’s recusal, Mitchell noted the court had ruled against the Commonwealth over the course of the case, and believes its rulings were based upon a fair interpretation of the law. He also said he believes the court treated defense counsel in a fair and professional manner.
It is not clear when the court will respond to Michael’s motion for the judge’s recusal.
The trial is now moved to Jan. 27, 2020.
Walters was arrested Jan. 9. He remains jailed at the Wyoming County Correctional Facility.
Contact the writer: bbaker@wcexaminer.com, 570-836-2123 x33