10/29/08 – Alamo’s Lawyers Want Trial Postponed
Texarkana Gazette
October 29, 2008
By: Lynn LaRowe
Lawyers want Alamo trial postponed
Lawyers representing jailed evangelist Tony Alamo are asking for more time to prepare for his federal criminal trial.
Alamo, whose real name is Bernie LaZar Hoffman, is accused of bringing a 13-year-old girl across state lines for sex.
Attorney Patrick Benca of Little Rock filed a motion for continuance Tuesday afternoon requesting a postponement of Alamo’s Nov. 19 trial date.
“We didn’t want to get inundated with witnesses and have to haul all of the church files into court,” said Benca’s partner, John Wesley Hall, Jr. “It’ll take many, many weeks to read through all these files. We simply need more time to prepare.”
The government is not opposing the request.
Hall noted that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been building a case against the controversial church leader far longer than his office has been working on Alamo’s defense.
Last week U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Bryant turned down Alamo’s bid for pretrial freedom.
Bryant referred to Alamo as a danger to the public and a flight risk in his Oct. 22 order denying release.
U.S. District Judge Harry Barnes, who will preside over Alamo’s criminal trial, has not issued a ruling on the motion.