Former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa was due back in court Wednesday for the first time since 18th Judicial District prosecutors announced that an unexpected resignation had thrust his prosecution into turmoil.
Maketa, a one-time Republican power broker amid reports of improper sexual relationships and abuses of power, is due for a motions hearing at 9 a.m. That hearing has been continued until 9 a.m. June 6.
The with a judge for up to six additional months to prepare for Maketa’s trial, initially scheduled to begin today. Fourth Judicial District Judge Larry E. Schwartz approved a three-week extension, until June 27.
The request followed the sudden resignation last month of attorney Grant Fevurly, one of two prosecutors assigned to the case. Fevurly cited the stress and anxiety of his work as a prosecutor. Fevurly’s replacement said in a court filing it would be “physically impossible” to get up to speed with thousands of pages of discovery and dozens of witness reports.
The lead attorney on the case, Mark Hurlbert, said he couldn’t manage it alone and painted a dire picture of his team’s predicament – potentially handing Maketa an advantage.
Today’s hearing could produce clues about the prosecution’s state of readiness for what promises to be a high-profile showdown in court.
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