MANKATO (TEC News) – A hearing for accused murderer Jennifer Nibbe was delayed today when her attorney had a family emergency.
Public defender Rich Hillesheim missed today’s hearing after his father died on Monday.
At the start of the hearing, Judge Bradley Walker told a packed courtroom that he had received notice late Monday evening from Hillesheim.
After the hearing, Assistant County Attorney Pat McDermott said he learned of the delay around 10 p.m.
Walker said the notice came at an hour where it was not possible to notify witnesses that the 8:30 a.m. hearing would not take place.
Tuesday’s hearing was scheduled to address several motions filed by Hillesheim, including a request to have Nibbe’s statements to law enforcement suppressed because she allegedly was not given proper Miranda prior to questioning and later because she was questioned after having been given representation.
McDermott, who is set to begin the Joel Munt murder trial next Monday, says he’ll be ready to proceed with the continued hearing whenever a court date can be settled on.
A member of Nibbe’s trial team, public defender Stephen Ferrazzano, said they had four witnesses in court for today’s hearing. McDermott says his list of witnesses included three law enforcement officers and one citizen.
Nibbe is accused of the August 2010 shotgun slaying of her husband James Nibbe inside their Lake Crystal home. She called for help that morning, claiming her husband was shot by an intruder.
A new hearing date has yet to be set and Nibbe’s 15-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2011.