Mark Redwine is scheduled to stand trial next spring in a murder case linking the Vallecito man to the death of his 13-year-old son, Dylan, almost seven years ago.
Chief District Court Judge Jeffery Wilson postponed Redwine’s trial scheduled to begin Sept. 17 after public defender John Moran was arrested on suspicion of assault and domestic violence. The judge, in the order, also allowed Moran to withdraw from the case.
Moran represented Redwine for almost two years. He hasn’t appeared in Redwine’s defense since his arrest and hasn’t filed a motion with the court seeking permission for his withdrawal, according to court documents.
District Attorney Christian Champagne and public defender Justin Bogan agreed to schedule Redwine’s trial to April 2, 2020, for jury selection, with opening statements being made April 6.
Fort Collins public defender Eric Vanatta will join Redwine’s defense team. Vanatta appeared by phone Tuesday for a status conference. The eight-month delay is intended to give Vanatta time to familiarize himself with Redwine’s case and afford the defendant his right to effective assistance at trial.
“Mr. Moran’s apparent unilateral decision to take leave and not be available to defend (Redwine) at this upcoming trial clearly demonstrates Mr. Moran has placed his personal needs ahead of (Redwine’s) right to have competent prepared counsel,” Wilson wrote.
“While the court is making no findings as to whether Mr. Moran’s decisions are justified because of his personal situation, (Redwine) has a constitutional right to an attorney who is willing and able to provide an effective and vigorous defense regardless of the personal problems (Moran) may be experiencing,” Wilson continued.
“By his actions, Mr. Moran has demonstrated that he is either unwilling or unable to do so.”
Champagne said his office had hoped to schedule Redwine’s trial to begin sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the April date is the next best option.
Wilson said he’d schedule “some sort of non-appearance hearing” in two months to ensure attorneys are on track to start trial in April.
Redwine, a 57-year-old Bayfield man, was arrested in 2017 and charged with second-degree murder and child abuse. If convicted, he faces 16 to 48 years in prison.
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