Laurean's Lawyer Speaks Up the Day After Gag Order is Lifted

You almost need a flow chart to keep up with all the twists that have taken place in the Cesar Laurean murder case. Things took another turn late Monday when the judge who had imposed a gag order in the case a couple of weeks ago lifted the order.

By: Philip Jones | WNCT-On Your Side
Published: May 12, 2009

You almost need a flow chart to keep up with all the twists that have taken place in the Cesar Laurean murder case.

Things took another turn late Monday when the judge who had imposed a gag order in the case a couple of weeks ago lifted the order.

As Philip Jones reports, less than 24 hours later, Laurean's attorney was speaking out:

Ever since investigators pointed the finger at Cesar Laurean for the December 2007 murder of Maria Lauterbach -- the case against him has seen one strange event after another.

The latest twist? Less than two weeks after Judge Charles Henry told everyone involved in the case not to talk to the media, he lifted the gag order because he felt it wasn't constitutional.

Laurean's defense attorney, Dick McNeil, says he appreciates what Judge Henry was trying to do in ensuring Laurean gets a fair trial -- but he wonders whether the gag order would have made a difference since the case got so much attention before Laurean was extradited from Mexico.

“I’m not faulting the judge, because the judge wasn't involved until Mr. Laurean came back,” McNeil said. “But for 15, 16 months there was a lot of coverage, a lot of commentary in the media. All that, I think, was very slanted.”

McNeil says the media coverage and what he calls “prejudicial” statements from the Onslow County Sheriff's Office no doubt influenced the potential jury pool.

“The question is, ‘what impact, if any, has that made on their opinions?’” McNeil said. “So really, the fair trial is going to come down to how candid the jurors are in the future, depending on where this case goes to trial.”

And now that he can talk about the case again, McNeil says you can count on hearing lots more from him about relocating Laurean's trial away from Onslow County

Laurean is scheduled to appear in court again next week. If he's arraigned then, McNeil says he will plead not guilty.

McNeil adds that Laurean is cell by himself in the Onslow County Jail, but is doing well and is actively helping build his defense.