Judge says Larsens may be tried separately

☛ TS Judge says Larsens may be tried separately 11/13/08
A Humboldt County Superior Court judge continued a motion to separate the cases of Dennis Eugene Larsen and his son Chad Larsen -- a father and son implicated in a failed murder-for-hire plot.

In October, Chad Larsen's attorney, M.C. Bruce, requested the codefendants be severed and tried by separate juries.

A judge allowed several weeks for Bruce and Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos to make their cases.

However, when the attorneys returned to court Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Timothy Cissna told them he found the “pleadings on both sides woefully inadequate to address the serious issue in this serious case.”

Cissna gave the attorneys until Nov. 17 to return to court with more detailed arguments.

Cissna said his tentative plan is to order the codefendants severed, but that judgment is pending the Nov. 17 hearing.

Prev:
☛ TS Preliminary hearing for murder-for-hire plot delayed
☛ Judge to rule on privacy issues in alleged murder conspiracy 11/06/08
☛ Motion to dismiss upcoming in murder-for-hire case 9/11/08
Recordings show murder-for-hire suspects' confusion 8/28/08
Recordings of phone conversations made between an undercover agent posing as a hit man and two of the three Fortuna men accused of participating in a failed murder-for-hire plot were played at the men's preliminary hearing Wednesday.

The calls of Dennis Larsen, 63, and Ray Lone-Wolf Potvin, 29, were introduced on the third day of the hearing. The men, along with Dennis Larsen's 28-year-old son Chad Larsen, are accused of plotting to murder a 16-year-old girl, who planned to testify against Chad Larsen in his statutory rape case.

Chad Larsen allegedly solicited four fellow inmates to kill the girl while he was in the Humboldt County jail, offering to pay at least $1,500. According to investigators, when Potvin and Dennis Larsen paid a visit to the jail June 12, Chad Larsen held up a note to the glass instructing his father to accept a call from a man named Carl Wallace, pay him $500 and help him as needed.
☛ TS Hearing continues for alleged murder-for-hire trio 8/27/08
☛ Men arrested in alleged murder-for-hire plot 6/18/08

Then there was this one: (another murder plot)
☛ TS Alleged murder plot against a prominent local family thwarted Robert Primeau
☛ TS Man accused of plotting murder of prominent couple takes plea bargain
☛ TS Primeau sentenced to four years, four months

His trial is expected to begin Dec. 1.

☛ TS Chad Larsen jury trial reset 11/25/08
A jury trial for Chad Larsen, scheduled to take place Dec. 1, will be postponed again, a Humboldt County Superior Court judge ruled Monday.