Murder Suspect Seeks New Counsel

August 04, 2005

HUNTSVILLE — Murder suspect Kenneth Ray Cross is seeking new legal counsel following the departure of his attorney, Patrick Cooley.

Cooley, a Kingston-area attorney, had represented Cross through his preliminary hearing and his arraignment following a grand jury indictment, but filed a motion before Criminal Court Judge Shayne Sexton Friday asking to be allowed to withdraw as Cross’s counsel. In filing the motion, Cooley cited an “irreconcilable conflict of interest.

“The attorney-client relationship is such that I can no longer go forward as attorney for Mr. Cross,” Cooley told Judge Sexton.

Cooley said that he would refund money paid to him by Cross’s family.

In approving the motion, Judge Sexton ordered Cooley to prepare a written motion stating the reasons for his conflict with Cross. The document would remain sealed, Sexton said, except in the event of any future development that might require it to become necessary to read the document.

Judge Sexton reminded Cross that he remains under a $750,000 bond, and told him that it was “incumbent upon you to start securing another lawyer.”

Cross is accused of fatally shooting 15-year-old Brandon Woodward on April 8 during a domestic dispute between Woodward’s mother and Cross’s girlfriend.

The domestic dispute, according to testimony at last month’s preliminary hearing, came about because Cross’s girlfriend was angry at Woodward’s 14-year-old sister for picking flowers on her property.

Cross is also the subject of a $10 million wrongful death suit filed by Woodward’s father, Tim Woodward.

Cross was indicted on first degree murder charges by the Scott County Grand Jury last month. A status hearing in his case is scheduled for November 18.

news@ihoneida.com

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