Messel is charged with one count of murder for the death of IU senior Hannah Wilson, who was found dead in the early morning of April 24.
Messel again appeared in court by video conference. At his initial hearing in April, Messel also appeared by video conference. His defense attorney, Dorie Maryan, said there isn’t a reason for this procedure.
Maryan filed for the funds for an investigator after requesting Messel’s bail hearing scheduled for May 15 to be vacated.
Maryan originally asked for $5,000 to $10,000 to hire an investigator. This amount was based on a best estimate after speaking to two investigators in the area, Maryan said.
She said the $10,000 would be an estimate for the highest potential cost for a trial like Messel’s, and $5,000 would be the average.
Prosecutor Ted Adams expressed a desire for Messel to have a fair trial but that given limited county funds, a bidding process might be best to determine the amount of money granted. He said $5,000 to $10,000 is on the extreme high end for an investigator based on his experiences.
Stewart said she didn’t see the need for a bidding process but granted Messel a capped amount of $3,000. More money could be granted down the road if more funds are needed and the defense files for an increased cap, ?Stewart said.
At the end of the hearing, Stewart asked if Maryan was still on track for the July 22 court date.
“I anticipate that that is ?unlikely,” Maryan said.
No official trial date changes have been made yet, but Adams said he doesn’t anticipate any objection to pushing back the date.
Suzanne Grossman
