Judge denies motion for removal
By Staff Reports
Nov 1, 1991
4/05/09 at 9:43 AM
U.S. Magistrate Jeffrey S. Wolfe has denied a request to
remove himself from participating in the "crossbow murder"
case.
Wolfe denied the motion Thursday, a federal court clerk
said.
The motion was filed by Assistant District Attorney Gordon
Edwards after Edwards learned a volunteer law clerk at Tulsa's
district attorney's office also works for Wolfe.
Angie Deweese is a legal intern for Wolfe, Edwards said,
and volunteers in the district attorney's office.
Edwards said when he saw Deweese in federal court last week
she looked familiar, but he did not learn her identity until
noon Thursday.
Edwards immediately filed the motion, citing a statute that
requires a judge to disqualify himself if the appearance
of partiality exists.
Wolfe ruled Tuesday that Jimmie Dean Stohler received ineffective
counsel from attorney Tom Gann, who represented Stohler
in his 1985 murder trial. Stohler said Gann had an affair
with his wife before, during and after his trial.
Stohler was convicted of killing Michele Rae Powers in 1982
with a crossbow bolt. He was sentenced to life in prison
and has served nine years.
Stohler divorced his wife, Kay, in 1986. She and Gann were
married in 1989. They deny their relationship began during
the time Gann was defending Stohler.
