University student demands new attorney during trial

A University of Montana student on trial today for sexual abuse against children would not let proceedings go forth because he claimed his attorney hasn't followed his wishes.

Journalism student Shane Maxey, 28, read a statement during his trial today saying he wanted a plea agreement that fit the victimless crime and that his public defender Paulette Ferguson did not do as he had asked. He said he had wanted a non-jury trial in June 2011, a month after he was arrested, but it was scheduled for December.

"I'm not being properly defended by her, due to the fact that she has postponed my trial against my wishes and has left me in the dark about knowing what's going on in my case," Maxey said.

District Court Judge John Larson recessed the trial so Ferguson could call the head of the public defender's office to find someone else to represent Maxey, but the request was not made with enough notice to bring a new attorney into the trial the same day. Larson vacated the trial so Maxey could decide who will represent him. Maxey is now back in the Missoula County Jail.

Police arrested Maxey in May after a four month long sting operation where a police officer posed as a 14-year-old girl online. Maxey offered to meet the the person he believed to be a young girl several times for sex, according to court documents. Before going to the South Russell Street Albertsons to meet the "girl" Maxey allegedly turned his webcam on and showed his genitals.

Maxey was out jail on pretrial supervision this fall and had been enrolled in University classes, until Dec. 23 when he was sent back to jail for communicating online to the same detective that had stung Maxey in May, court documents state.

Maxey's public defender would not comment about the case.

spencer.veysey@umontana.edu?

Source: http://www.montanakaimin.com/news/university-student-demands-new-attorney-during-trial-1.2796609

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