Defence attorneys asks for legal pause over lack of funding

LIVINGSTON, La. – Attorneys for a man accused of killing his girlfriend, her family and his parents in Louisiana this January have asked for a pause in the prosecution of the case until they can get funding.

The Advocate reports Dakota Theriot’s attorneys said Monday that their team is completely unfunded, leaving them working for free and unable to hire needed investigators and experts.

Prosecutors have said they plan to pursue the death penalty against the 22-year-old Theriot, who records say has struggled with mental health issues. The attorneys filed court papers last month that said the public defender’s office doesn’t have funding for capital cases.

They say responsibility for those cases was handed to the state Public Defender Board, which they say doesn’t have the funds to meet service demands.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com