A Colorado judge has pushed back an evidence hearing in connection with Letecia Stauch, a murder suspect accused of killing her 11-year-old stepson, Gannon Stauch.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Stauch’s defense team previously filed a motion alleging that the El Paso County Lail denied Stauch access to an attorney video visit in early May. The incident stemmed from an apparent new policy implemented by the Colorado Justice System that requires attorneys to physically come to the jail to visit certain inmates.
Stauch’s lawyer, public defender Kathryn Strobel, explained that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected numerous inmates in Colorado, has made it unsafe for attorneys to travel to the jail and meet with clients in person.
In response to the jail change, District Court Judge Greg Wagner wrote that the court had only become aware of Stauch’s video visitation issue after her defense team filed the motion. In turn, the new rules were modified to ensure Stauch had access to a video visitations with her legal team.
“On May 18, 2020, the Colorado Springs Criminal Justice Center modified the prohibition regarding professional video visitation. The new policy, attached as Exhibit A to this supplement, allows for counsel to schedule remote video visitation with Ms. Stauch after 8:00 p.m.,” court documents state.
The defense team also argued that they still have not received evidence that will help them provide an adequate defense, such as Gannon’s autopsy report and outstanding DNA results on evidence items.
“Among other missing pieces of discovery, DNA results are still outstanding on a number of key pieces of evidence, and [REDACTED] have not been disclosed to the defense.”
In response, the court granted the defense team’s motion to postpone a June 5 evidence hearing. Although there will still be a hearing on June 5, it will now center around “the best method” to proceed with the case, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Letecia Stauch: Preliminar… by Leigh Egan on Scribd
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Stauch is currently behind bars without bond. She’s charged with felony murder and related charges in connection with the death of her stepson, Gannon.
Authorities found Gannon’s body in Florida, three months after he disappeared from his Lorson Ranch home, near Colorado Springs. Letecia Stauch was the last known person to see Gannon alive, but she claimed that he left on foot to see a friend and never returned home.
Stauch told CrimeOnline that she’s innocent of the charges against her and that a witness has “officially went on record” with the defense. El Paso County Deputy District Attorney, Michael Allen, however, said during a previous press release the prosecution has more than enough evidence against Stauch to secure a likely conviction.
During a March 11 court hearing, Allen said that authorities had at least 107 search warrants against Stauch.
For the first-degree murder charges, prosecutors allege that Stauch “unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly caused the death of Gannon Stauch, a child who had not yet attained twelve years of age, and the defendant was in a position of trust with respect to the victim.”
Evidence from inside Gannon’s bedroom includes blood spatter on the walls, blood that soaked through the carpet, 50 droplets of blood on the wall, blood on wall sockets, and blood on the boy’s mattress, according to prosecutors.
Stauch is also accused of mutilating, concealing or altering “a human body, part of a human body, or human remains with the intent to impair” the appearance, as well as concealing and/or altering physical evidence.
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[Feature Photo: Letecia Stauch/KRDO-TV/The Gazette via AP, Pool, Gannon Stauch/Facebook]
