An lawyer for the Aurora dentist charged with poisoning his spouse to dying withdrew from the case this week after he was arrested on suspicion of arson — first responders discovered the lawyer sitting on the porch of his Centennial house because it burned behind him Saturday night time.
Robert Werking withdrew as counsel for homicide suspect James Craig on Tuesday, simply two days after his arrest and simply 10 days earlier than Craig’s homicide trial was set to begin in Arapahoe County District Courtroom.
It’s the second time {that a} member of Craig’s authorized group has pulled out on the eve of the dentist’s high-profile trial.
Werking owned the house that burned along with his spouse, Lisa High quality Moses, who can also be an lawyer representing Craig. She didn’t withdraw from the homicide case, and Craig is now represented by High quality Moses and lawyer Ashley Witham, who joined the group on June 18.
High quality Moses didn’t return a request for remark Thursday. Werking couldn’t be reached.
Craig is scheduled for a jury trial starting July 10.
Courtroom data about Werking’s arrest within the arson case have been saved secret on the request of Chief Deputy District Lawyer Jason Siers, who wrote in a movement to suppress the paperwork that the discharge of the small print supporting Werking’s arrest may “jeopardize a jury trial scheduled to being (sic) July 10, 2025.”
“The discharge at the moment of the affidavit may end in disclosure of data that might end in destruction, disposal or secreting proof and tampering with recognized and unidentified witnesses, which may jeopardize the continued investigation,” the movement states. “Additional, launch of the knowledge may end in harassment of a witness and jeopardize a jury trial scheduled to being (sic) July 10, 2025.”
That motive for secrecy strikes Denver protection lawyer Doug Richards as uncommon.
“To me, it seems like a doubtful and pretextual motive for sealing a public document,” he mentioned. “If all of that is going to trigger an issue with a trial, shouldn’t they be taking a step again and be like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s a lot taking place proper now.’ Is there a motive they must go to a jury trial proper now?”
Lawyer’s conduct at fireplace scene ‘was form of odd’
South Metro Hearth Rescue crews responded to Werking and Moses Fines’ Centennial home simply earlier than midnight Saturday, company spokesman Brian Willie mentioned.
First responders discovered Werking sitting on the entrance porch of the single-family house with “energetic flames behind him,” Arapahoe County sheriff’s Deputy John Bartmann mentioned, noting that Werking’s actions have been “form of odd.” He declined to supply further info, citing the continued investigation.
Werking was taken to a hospital for analysis, Willie mentioned. Nobody else was on the house and no different buildings have been burned, he mentioned. Firefighters bought the hearth below management at 12:58 a.m. Sunday and found main injury to the home, Willie mentioned.
“As soon as we bought the hearth out and below management, our investigators discovered there was some sort of incendiary accelerant, and so they’re actively working with the sheriff’s division,” Willie mentioned.
Werking was arrested on suspicion of felony arson on Sunday, Bartmann mentioned. Formal prices haven’t but been filed.
In a separate case, Werking was additionally arrested on June 14 and cited with a ticket for prohibited use of weapons associated to aiming a firearm, a misdemeanor, courtroom data present. Particulars about that incident weren’t obtainable Thursday.
Second time an lawyer has withdrawn
The second last-minute withdraw within the Craig case as soon as once more raises questions on whether or not the jury trial can and may go ahead as scheduled, mentioned Stan Garnett, former Boulder County district lawyer.
“A lawyer making ready for any main trial has an obligation to be centered and ready and in a position to do all the pieces that she or he can to symbolize the shopper,” Garnett mentioned. “If there’s something that impedes that capacity, the lawyer has an obligation to debate it with the shopper and produce it to the eye of the courtroom.”
Craig’s earlier lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, withdrew from the case in December simply earlier than jury choice was scheduled to start.
On the time, he cited two guidelines {of professional} conduct as causes for his departure from the case: one, that his shopper was persisting in a plan of action that he “moderately believes is legal or fraudulent,” and two, that his shopper was insisting on motion he “considers repugnant or… has a basic disagreement (with),” in keeping with the 18th Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace.
Craig, 47, is charged with first-degree homicide within the dying of his spouse, Angela Craig, 43, who died March 18, 2023, from deadly doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant present in over-the-counter eyedrops.
Investigators allege James Craig purchased arsenic and cyanide days earlier than his spouse was poisoned to dying, searched on-line about poison somebody, was having an affair and confronted monetary difficulties.
He’s additionally charged with tampering with proof and perjury, and accused of asking two totally different folks — together with his daughter — to cowl up proof within the case. The couple have been married for greater than twenty years and shared six youngsters, in keeping with Angela Craig’s obituary.
Siers declined to remark Thursday. Arapahoe County District Lawyer Amy Padden didn’t return a request for remark.
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