Barlow defense seeks new judge

The Bollinger County woman charged with the murder of her boyfriend in July may get a new judge when her case goes to trial in St. Louis County.

Police say Lisa A. Barlow, 43, shot Michael Strong with his gun while he lay on the sofa at the Scopus, Mo., residence he shared with Barlow.

She placed a 911 call July 27, saying she was hiding under the bed because she heard intruders break in and a gunshot fired, but evidence presented at a Sept. 28 preliminary hearing showed a neighbor heard the shot fired an hour before the emergency call.

When police arrived, they found Strong in a reclining position on the sofa, and blood-spatter analysis further contradicted the home invasion story. Because of the media attention the case received, Barlow's public defenders, Chris Davis and Amy Metzinger, requested a change of venue in the case Oct. 26, but nearly a month of deliberation went by before Circuit Judge William L. Syler ruled to hold the trial in St. Louis County.

Because Metzinger requested that Syler stay on as the trial judge, he intended to follow the case to St. Louis, and on Nov. 27 the Supreme Court designated him to try Barlow's case.

Now, Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Gray has requested a change of judge in the case, possibly delaying the trial date.

Gray filed his second application to disqualify Syler as the trial judge Dec. 7, but Syler denied the petition Friday, saying it wasn't timely.

Gray argued that his petition fell within the 10-day window after Syler had been appointed, but Syler ruled that more than 10 days had lapsed because his appointment as judge occurred when he first ruled on the change of venue.

Gray said he may appeal the ruling or negotiate an agreement with the defense before he would consider other options, such as dismissing the case and refiling charges.

Syler said that typically it's the defense that applies for a change of judge. In this case, at the time he was appointed, neither side had an objection, he said.

Metzinger could not be reached for comment.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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