EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wynne won’t step down from the aggravated murder trial of the man accused of killing Monroe corrections officer Jayme Biendl.
The Daily Herald reports (http://bit.ly/o3zIon ) Wynne disputed allegations that he is biased against defendant, Byron Scherf. The judge also denied defense attorneys’ claims that he had ruled on issues outside of those he been asked to address during an August hearing.
Wynne made a record of his ruling at a hearing Wednesday.
The 53-year-old Scherf is accused of strangling Biendl on Jan. 29 in the chapel of the Washington State Reformatory. He is already serving a life sentence for violent attacks on women.
Scherf could face the death penalty if convicted. His trial is set for September 2012.
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Information from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldnet.com
