Koogler withdraws from Johnson case
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss is set to appoint new legal counsel for Whitney Johnson, after attorney Lee Koogler told the judge he felt he had "a conflict of interest" during a pretrial hearing Thursday.
"I consulted with Miss Johnson this morning, and I did consult with the state and the court later in the morning in regards to what I believe to be a conflict of interest," Koogler said. "I stated that conflict to my client. She understands, and at this point I'm asking to withdraw from the case and have other counsel be appointment.
"It's not in any way that I don't want to help Miss Johnson, it's that I don't feel that I can."
Judge Coss said he would work on appointing a new attorney later this afternoon.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Johnson and Nathan Ritze were both indicted on charges of murder in a five-count indictment issued by a Highland County grand jury Tuesday.
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In separate indictments, Ritze and Johnson were each charged with murder, an unclassified felony; involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; child endangering, a felony of the third degree; tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree; and abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree.
Ritze, 25, and Johnson, 26, had previously been charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree, in a case involving Johnson's infant son being buried on a Diven Road property.
On May 30 at 11:53 p.m., the Hillsboro Police Department received a report of a suspicious death of a 1-year-old child. The remains of a small child were found in a wooded area off of Diven Road. The investigation found that the infant had been buried there on Dec. 19, 2012.
JD Wagoner, attorney for Ritze, informed Judge Coss that he had filed a request for discovery and a reciprocal discovery.
Koogler told Judge Coss that he had also filed a request for a request for discovery and reciprocal discovery as well as a bill of particulars.
Koogler also said that Johnson is willing to waive her right to a speedy trial to ensure "ample time" with her new attorney.
"I consulted with Miss Johnson this morning, and I did consult with the state and the court later in the morning in regards to what I believe to be a conflict of interest," Koogler said. "I stated that conflict to my client. She understands, and at this point I'm asking to withdraw from the case and have other counsel be appointment.
"It's not in any way that I don't want to help Miss Johnson, it's that I don't feel that I can."
Judge Coss said he would work on appointing a new attorney later this afternoon.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Johnson and Nathan Ritze were both indicted on charges of murder in a five-count indictment issued by a Highland County grand jury Tuesday.
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In separate indictments, Ritze and Johnson were each charged with murder, an unclassified felony; involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; child endangering, a felony of the third degree; tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree; and abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree.
Ritze, 25, and Johnson, 26, had previously been charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree, and tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree, in a case involving Johnson's infant son being buried on a Diven Road property.
On May 30 at 11:53 p.m., the Hillsboro Police Department received a report of a suspicious death of a 1-year-old child. The remains of a small child were found in a wooded area off of Diven Road. The investigation found that the infant had been buried there on Dec. 19, 2012.
JD Wagoner, attorney for Ritze, informed Judge Coss that he had filed a request for discovery and a reciprocal discovery.
Koogler told Judge Coss that he had also filed a request for a request for discovery and reciprocal discovery as well as a bill of particulars.
Koogler also said that Johnson is willing to waive her right to a speedy trial to ensure "ample time" with her new attorney.