Michelle Troconis' Attorney In Jennifer Dulos Case Can Continue
STAMFORD, CT — The attorney representing Michelle Troconis in the case involving the disappearance of Jennifer Farber Dulos can continue to represent her, following a dispute with prosecutors over the handling of certain evidence, according to the defense.
Stamford Superior Court Judge Gary White on Friday ruled in favor of attorney Jon Schoenhorn, who has been defending Troconis for three years.
Schoenhorn had come into possession of a sweatshirt that may be evidence in the case, and he turned it over to another attorney, who then gave it to state police. Prosecutors wanted more information from Schoenhorn about the evidence, and sought to have him removed from representing Troconis, because they said he could potentially be called as a witness.
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White asked Troconis if she had any problems with Schoenhorn’s representation, and she said no, and she waived any concerns of potential conflicts on the record, Schoenhorn told Patch.
In a motion filed Thursday, Schoenhorn argued that neither he nor state prosecutors planned to introduce the sweatshirt as evidence, rendering the possible need for him to testify “moot.”
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Reached for comment on Friday, Schoenhorn essentially reiterated that point.
“At no time did I believe that a potential conflict of interest existed that would prevent me from diligently representing my client,” Schoenhorn told Patch. “I believe that the state’s motion served no purpose, other than delay, and has set the schedule back a good seven months. I am pleased that we are now back on track, and am looking forward to setting a schedule for evidentiary hearings and trial.”
Jennifer Dulos has been missing for four years this week, and is presumed to be dead. Her body has not been found.
Her estranged husband, the late Fotis Dulos, was charged with kidnapping and murdering her, but he took his own life before he could stand trial.
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Troconis, Fotis’ former girlfriend, and former attorney Kent Mawhinney, a friend of Fotis’, were accused of helping him in the murder plot. Both Troconis and Mawhinney were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and both have pleaded not guilty.
Mawhinney’s case is expected to go to trial first, though a date has not yet been set. He was recently released from house arrest.
Troconis’ recently had her GPS monitoring device removed from her ankle.
The Dulos case
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