Trial for triple-murder suspect Brent Luyster set for April

A mid-April trial date was set for Brent Luyster’s triple-homicide and attempted jail escape case. However, his latest attorney, newly appointed today, said it will likely be pushed back because he’ll need time to prepare the defense’s case.

Vancouver defense attorney Chuck Buckley was appointed to represent Luyster after his previous attorney — who was on the case for about a day — stepped down this morning, citing communication issues between him and Luyster.

Jeff Barrar of Vancouver Defenders was appointed to represent Luyster on Wednesday morning. His previous attorneys, Bob Yoseph and Ed Dunkerly, both withdrew as Luyster’s counsel during arraignment Monday. Their decision followed a judge’s ruling that only one could stay on the case, in light of the prosecution announcing it won’t pursue the death penalty.

However, Luyster on Wednesday raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest with Barrar, who represented him in a 1998 case. He said Barrar also represented a co-defendant, Jeremiah Prueitt, in a 2005 case, which involved a racially motivated attack on a black man in Vancouver’s Rose Village, according to Columbian archives.

Barrar told Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis that he doesn’t believe there is a conflict of interest. But, he said he thinks his and Luyster’s “ability to communicate is compromised.” He asked to be removed from the case.

Lewis instead appointed Buckley, and the court went forward with scheduling an April 17 trial date. Buckley said he had already spoken with Luyster about possibly pushing back the first trial setting, however. The case will be reviewed March 23.