Attorneys For Defendant In Yingying Zhang Case Seek More Prep Time
Attorneys for a man accused of abducting and killing a University of Illinois scholar from China are asking for more time to prepare his defense.
Former graduate student Brendt Christensen is charged in the June kidnapping and death of Yingying Zhang. A February trial is scheduled.
The News-Gazette in Champaign reports that Christensen's public defenders asked Tuesday for a trial delay so they can prepare a thorough defense. The attorneys noted the average time between indictment and trial in federal death penalty prosecutions is 28 months. The government said in September it was considering the death penalty. That was before Christensen was indicted on charges of kidnapping and making false statements to federal investigators.
Judge Colin Bruce gave prosecutors until Nov. 3 to respond to the defense request.
Links
- Christensen Arraigned On New Charges In Yingying Zhang Disappearance
- UPDATE: Oct. 11 Arraignment Set For Kidnap-Murder Charges In Yingying Zhang Case
- Judge Appoints Public Defender In Yingying Zhang Kidnapping Case
- Trial In Yingying Zhang Kidnapping Postponed Until February
- Grand Jury Indicts Christensen For Yingying Zhang Kidnapping