Medford attorney moves to delay trial

Posted on by David Forbes

Stephen Lindsay, the attorney for indicted former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford, filed a motion yesterday to delay his client’s trial, scheduled to begin March 25, by 30 days. Lindsay claims that the current date does not give him enough time to review the roomful of evidence that federal authorities have gathered in the case. Medford is accused of running an extortion operation related to illegal video poker machines while he was sheriff.

“The reason for this motion is to enable undersigned counsel to properly prepare to defend the serious allegations against Mr. Medford,” the motion reads. “Without the additional time to prepare for trial, the trial of Mr. Medford by the federal government will not be a “fair trial as required by law.”

In addition to a lack of time to review the evidence, Lindsay said that the current date also doesn’t leave him enough time to find witnesses “favorable to the defense, locating any physical evidence that might support a defense verdict, determining whether any expert witnesses are appropriate, preparing defense witnesses to testify at trial and preparing exhibits for use at trial.”

In recent weeks, two former deputies charged along with Medford, as well as longtime political ally Jackie Shepherd, a Weaverville businessman, have all taken plea deals from federal prosecutors. Former reserve Capt. Guy Penland is now the only remaining deputy to face the charges alongside Medford.

On Feb. 29, the court previously denied a similar request to continue the trial, along with a related motion to appoint a second defense attorney for Medford.

— David Forbes, staff writer

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

2 thoughts on “Medford attorney moves to delay trial”

Leave a Reply to lokel ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.