LAKEPORT — Edward James Munoz”s on-again, off-again murder trial, postponed on 12 occasions, has been scheduled for a 13th time for Aug. 1 in Lake County Superior Court.
Munoz, 25, is accused in the savage death of Leah Leister, a 26-year-old single mother, 51 months ago in her Clearlake apartment.
Leister, who may have been a drug dealer, was stabbed several times and her throat was slit twice on March 11, 2002.
If found guilty of killing her, Munoz could face the death penalty, or life in prison without the possibility of parole. He has pleaded not guilty.
But his date with justice has proved to be elusive because of a parade of lawyers, who, after assuming the role of counsel for Munoz, didn”t remain on the case. The attorneys have been granted delays because they were involved in other cases or weren”t ready. They have resigned or, as in one case, been dismissed by Munoz.
Attorneys who have represented Munoz to date include Stephen Carter, Paul Swanson, Tom Quinn and presently George Boisseau of Sonoma County.
Lake County Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff, who has been the prosecutor in the case since charges were first filed against Munoz, said he can only hope that the trial will go forward in August.
“We don”t expect (the trial) not to begin,” Hinchcliff said. “We”re hopeful that the defense will be ready to go. But it”s the judge”s discretion; he has to determine if there”s a reason for continuance.”
Because he is regarded as an extreme flight risk, Munoz has remained in Lake County Jail for the more than four years since Leister”s death. Hinchcliff has intimated that he believes the death may be gang-related and possibly ordered by the Norteno street gang.
How long can this setting and resetting of Munoz”s trial go on?
“There are no special limits,” said Hinchcliff.
Contact John Lindblom at jlwordsmith@mchsi.com.
