The former Wrangell doctor convicted on child pornography charges wants a new trial.
Greg Salard’s new lawyer claims his client’s constitutional rights were denied by the public defender during his trial in U.S. District Court in July.
The request has postponed Salard’s sentencing while a judge considers the request, which may take several weeks. Salard’s sentencing was set for Dec. 3, but is now scheduled for Jan. 8.
In filings with the court, Salard’s new attorney Steven Wells writes that his public defender Cara McNamara did not adequately prepare for the trial and deprived Salard of his right to testify on his own behalf. The filings say McNamara did not present any evidence or call any witnesses to the stand, and McNamara urged Salard not to testify because it would allow prosecutors to bring up old allegations McNamara was not prepared to defend.
The prosecution never brought the stepdaughter’s allegations of sexual abuse up at trial.
The stepdaughter’s allegations came to light in Salard’s out-of-state divorce proceedings several years ago. Her allegations led to criminal charges in Louisiana after Salard’s arrest in Wrangell last year. A Louisiana attorney working for him offered to help McNamara in the Wrangell case, but she didn’t take him up on the offer.
Greg Salard was convicted by a Juneau jury July 28 after a weeklong trial in U.S. District Court.
Federal criminal court procedures are slightly different than state courts in Alaska and attorneys can request a new trial before sentencing and a possible appeal.
Matt Miller is a reporter at KTOO in Juneau.
