DA removes self from Carthage nursing home case
The district attorney prosecuting the case of a man accused of killing eight people at a Carthage nursing home removed herself from the case because of her relationship with the suspect's mother.
Posted — Updated
Robert Stewart, 47, is charged in the 2009 shooting spree at the Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Moore County District Attorney Maureen Krueger represented Stewart’s mother, Mary Frances Stewart, in 2004 when she was charged with threatening her son's life.
When Stewart's lawyers announced plans to call his mother as a potential witness, the state bar advised Krueger to remove herself from the case.
The defense said Krueger's past relationship with the defendant's mother gave her access to information that could unfairly be used against their client.
Assistant prosecutor Peter Strickland will replace Krueger on the case with help from another assistant.
Stewart is charged with eight counts of first-degree murder in the March 29, 2009, massacre. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
The trial is set for July 11.
Copyright 2024 by WRAL.com and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
