Joseph's trial postponed to give lawyer more time to prepare

George Joseph's day in court will occur later than originally planned.

Cape Girardeau County Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis on Monday granted a motion from Joseph's attorney, Bevy Beimdiek, to continue the first-degree murder case, which had been set for a jury trial beginning Sept. 15.

Outside the courtroom Monday, Beimdiek said she requested the continuance because she needed additional time to prepare for the trial.

In January, Lewis told Joseph he would appoint a public defender to represent him after granting private defense attorney Bryan Greaser's motion to withdraw from the case. Beimdiek's first court appearance in the case was Feb. 10.

Joseph, 49, faces charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the May 30 shooting deaths of his wife, Mary, and 18-year-old son, Matthew, at their home on West Cape Rock Drive.

In his motion to withdraw as counsel, Greaser cited "irreconcilable differences."

Defendants who hire their own attorneys normally are not considered indigent and do not qualify for the services of a public defender, but judges can overrule the public defender's office if they see fit.

In his letter to Lewis last winter, Joseph requested a public defender, saying he had been unable to earn any income since his incarceration in June.

Joseph also wrote that he and Greaser disagreed about the best way to handle his case.

In October, Lewis rejected a defense motion to suppress a videotape of a June 4 interview with police officers in which Joseph, while hospitalized in St. Louis with a gunshot wound to his head, made several incriminating statements.

Lewis also rejected a defense motion in August for a change of venue but approved a request to import a jury from Cole County, Missouri.

At the time, Greaser voiced concerns about pretrial publicity.

Joseph's case has received extensive media coverage, in part because of questions about his financial dealings.

At a preliminary hearing in July, Joseph's brother-in-law said Joseph had been worried before the shootings because he was the target of a federal investigation and had been distraught over financial problems, including the loss of money he had been investing for other people.

Joseph did not appear in court Monday with Beimdiek.

A new trial date will be set in August.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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