Cozad attorney seeks more time
By Jessica Musicar, Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 |
COQUILLE - The court has delayed family abuse proceedings against Fred Cozad Jr., the father of a mentally retarded man who killed his 59-year-old girlfriend, for another three weeks. His attorney needs more time to review evidence.
At the Courthouse on Monday, Cozad appeared before Judge Martin Stone for a plea-change hearing on a charge of first-degree criminal mistreatment. The charge stems from the condition of the Cozad home at the time of Linda S. Foley's death, said Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier. During the civil mental commitment hearing for Cozad's son, 18-year-old Henry Cozad, the DA showed images and brought forward witnesses who testified about the smell of urine permeating the house, cluttered rooms and a urine-soaked mattress where the teen slept.
"I think the condition of the home shown in the hearing would be some of the things we'll be looking at," Frasier said.
Because Cozad's attorney Matt Muenchrath is out of town, attorney Joel Curelo stood in and asked the judge for more time. Curelo and Muenchrath are members of the Coos County Indigent Defense Consortium that assists public defenders.
He said Muenchrath wanted more time to review discovery documents and information with his investigator.
Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier said he gave Muenchrath about 300 pages of evidence following Henry Cozad's three-day hearing in which Stone decided to send the teen to a secure group home in Salem.
Stone granted the delay request and the hearing has been moved to 1:30 p.m. on July 20.
Criminal mistreatment is a C felony, punishable by up to three years in prison. However, depending on Cozad's record, Frasier said if convicted, his sentence could be as short as zero or as long as 30 days in jail.
"I'm not saying it would occur in this case," Frasier said.
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