Murder trial starts, then stops

After several fits and starts, the murder trial of 23-year-old Adam Israel of Soldotna did not proceed as planned.

Early Wednesday morning, the defending attorney’s re-quest to withdraw and expectations for a plea bargain fell flat and jury selection in the trial began. But midway through initial jury selection, the trial was once again halted and is now scheduled to begin in April.

Israel has been charged with the stabbing death of his mother in their home on Jan. 29, 2005.

According to Soldotna Police Sgt. Tod McGillivray, Dorothy Israel, 44, was stabbed with a butcher knife in her residence on West Little Avenue around noon that day. Her son Adam lived with her at the time.

Adam called 911 shortly after the stabbing, McGillivray said. Dorothy was taken to Central Peninsula General Hospital and died there around 1 p.m.

On Wednesday, defending attorney John Richard first requested that the trial be delayed 30 additional days to give the defense more time to prepare. However, the prosecution would not support the request unless the defendant waved his right to a trial within 120 days.

“We’ve had a year of ups and downs in this case, none of which were caused by the state,” said District Attorney June Stein. “I came in here today expecting a plea bargain.”

Israel already had waved the right multiple times, but told his attorney he did not want to wave it again.

When Judge Charles Huguelet denied the request to delay the trial an additional 30 days without waving the right, Richard, who was appointed to represent the defendant last week, asked to withdraw from the case, saying he had not had sufficient time to thoroughly prepare for the case.

After Huguelet declined to grant that request, as well, jury selection commenced, but midway through selection, Israel decided to wave his right to a trial within 120 days of the last time he had waved the right, and the trial was rescheduled for April 10.