Waller pleads not guilty to new federal charge

Clay Waller, 45, of Cape Girardeau appeared in federal court Tuesday in Cape Girardeau and pleaded not guilty to interstate domestic violence.

Interstate domestic violence is part of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. Federal prosecuting attorney Richard Callahan announced the indictment against Waller on Monday. The indictment alleges Waller crossed state lines to kill Jacque Sue Waller in 2011.

Part of the evidence in the case was a manuscript for a book Waller was writing that offered details of the crime, according to the indictment.

Through his attorney Scott Tilsen of the federal public defender’s office, Waller waived the formal reading of the indictment. Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni asked Waller whether he knew how he was charged.

“I’m charged with murder again,” Waller said.

“It’s a specific charge,” Crites-Leoni said, “but I guess that’s the gist of it.”

Crites-Leoni informed Waller there would not be a preliminary hearing in the case because he was indicted by a grand jury. While Crites-Leoni will preside over hearings, Audrey Fleissig will be the trial judge for the case. Waller also consented to the custody of federal marshals.

Federal prosecuting attorney Larry Ferrell said there would be at least 1,000 pages of discovery documents in the case. Crites-Leoni set May 27 as the deadline for request for discovery, June 3 for response, July 19 for discovery documents to be filed and Aug. 2 for a response.

Waller will be back in court on 10 a.m. Aug. 11 for either an evidentiary hearing if motions are filed or a waiver hearing.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

555 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.