Dally Attorneys Seek More Time to Prepare

Michael Dally’s attorneys have asked Superior Court Judge Frederick A. Jones to delay Dally’s murder trial by nearly four months to give defense counsel additional time to prepare a case.

Dally, 36, and his girlfriend, Diana Haun, 35, are facing murder charges in the kidnap-slaying of Dally’s wife, Sherri.

Their joint trial is scheduled to start Feb. 3. But in a motion filed this week, Dally’s attorneys requested the trial be pushed back to May 30.

Defense attorney James M. Farley argued in the motion that his investigative team needs more time to interview witnesses and read about 6,000 pages of police reports.

Farley also states that since he was appointed to the Dally case in November, he has not had adequate time to prepare a death-penalty defense.

Prosecutors decided in late December to seek the death penalty against Dally and Haun.

“It has been my experience and practice in these type of cases that we prepare both guilt and death penalty phases at the same time,” Farley wrote. “That requires a considerable amount of time.”

Jones is expected to rule on the motion Monday. The judge is also expected to decide whether to reinstate a gag order in the case.

Prosecutors asked for the gag order after defense attorneys made a series of remarks following the announcement that the death penalty would be sought. Farley opposes a gag order.