07-17-2014, 07:02 AM
Taken From: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story.../12763683/
Lacey Spears did not attend a procedural court hearing in her murder trial Wednesday in White Plains, but her sister, Rebecca, was there and heard Lacey's attorney urge the public to keep an open mind in the case.
Rebecca Spears sat in the half-full courtroom gallery, as far as she could get from the half-dozen reporters who were on hand. Lacey Spears' lawyer, David Sachs, said Rebecca Spears was there "to support her sister," whom she had visited in jail earlier in the week.
The murder case against Lacey Spears — accused of poisoning her 5-year-old son with salt through a gastric tube in his stomach — was back in court briefly, as Sachs and prosecutors met in the chambers of acting state Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary to discuss the case's calendar.
Spears, who pleaded not guilty June 17 to second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, is being held without bail at Westchester County jail and has been placed on suicide watch in the forensic unit. She was not required to attend Wednesday's session, Sachs said. He has said his client did nothing to harm her son and is a mother grieving a devastating loss.
Wednesday's 10-minute pretrial conference began at 10:15 a.m. After the conference, Neary said the next court date would be Oct. 13.
Sachs has until Sept. 8 to request evidence that the Westchester County district attorney may use in the case, in what is called the case's discovery phase.
Sachs' partner, Stephen Riebling, spoke briefly after the hearing, saying: "Despite the widespread attention the case has received over the past several months, we continue to trust that the people will keep an open mind and not judge Lacey or the facts of the case from what's been reported. The truth of the matter is that Lacey has pleaded not guilty and, with the support of her family, looks forward to her day in court and the opportunity to challenge the allegations and contest the charges. Going forward, the defense of this case will be focused on the relevant facts, not fiction."
Rebecca Spears' face was emotional but she said nothing as she got into the lawyer's dark SUV and sped away.
Rebecca Spears:
![[Image: tjn0717laceycourt2.jpg]](http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/9fb0759af2f58dd5459e8a94f14dce9563692f58/c=0-40-4374-3320&r=x383&c=540x380/local/-/media/Poughkeepsie/2014/07/16/tjn0717laceycourt2.jpg)
Lacey Spears at June 17th court date:
![[Image: tbd_spears062314_13376854_8col.jpg]](http://www.tampabay.com/resources/images/dti/rendered/2014/06/tbd_spears062314_13376854_8col.jpg)
Lacey Spears did not attend a procedural court hearing in her murder trial Wednesday in White Plains, but her sister, Rebecca, was there and heard Lacey's attorney urge the public to keep an open mind in the case.
Rebecca Spears sat in the half-full courtroom gallery, as far as she could get from the half-dozen reporters who were on hand. Lacey Spears' lawyer, David Sachs, said Rebecca Spears was there "to support her sister," whom she had visited in jail earlier in the week.
The murder case against Lacey Spears — accused of poisoning her 5-year-old son with salt through a gastric tube in his stomach — was back in court briefly, as Sachs and prosecutors met in the chambers of acting state Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary to discuss the case's calendar.
Spears, who pleaded not guilty June 17 to second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, is being held without bail at Westchester County jail and has been placed on suicide watch in the forensic unit. She was not required to attend Wednesday's session, Sachs said. He has said his client did nothing to harm her son and is a mother grieving a devastating loss.
Wednesday's 10-minute pretrial conference began at 10:15 a.m. After the conference, Neary said the next court date would be Oct. 13.
Sachs has until Sept. 8 to request evidence that the Westchester County district attorney may use in the case, in what is called the case's discovery phase.
Sachs' partner, Stephen Riebling, spoke briefly after the hearing, saying: "Despite the widespread attention the case has received over the past several months, we continue to trust that the people will keep an open mind and not judge Lacey or the facts of the case from what's been reported. The truth of the matter is that Lacey has pleaded not guilty and, with the support of her family, looks forward to her day in court and the opportunity to challenge the allegations and contest the charges. Going forward, the defense of this case will be focused on the relevant facts, not fiction."
Rebecca Spears' face was emotional but she said nothing as she got into the lawyer's dark SUV and sped away.
Rebecca Spears:
Lacey Spears at June 17th court date: