BENTONVILLE — Two new attorneys were appointed to represent a Bella Vista man accused of killing his 6-year-old son after his appointed public defenders were released due to an undisclosed conflict.
Mauricio Alejandro Torres, 45, and Cathy Torres, 43, are charged with capital murder battery in the first degree. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for both.
The Torreses’ 6-year-old son was pronounced dead March 29 at the hospital. A medical examiner later determined Maurice Isaiah Torres suffered from chronic child abuse, and his death was from internal injuries caused by being raped.
Mauricio Torres appeared in court Wednesday on the motion to appoint him new legal representation.
Three attorneys from the Arkansas Public Defender Commission were appointed to represent Mauricio Torres after his arrest. Teri Chambers, one of the attorneys, told Circuit Judge Brad Karren that there is a conflict preventing them from continuing to represent Torres.
Chambers said she did not feel comfortable disclosing the reasons in open court. Chambers did say she believes that if they remained on the case it would cause irreparable harm to Torres.
Karren was reluctant in letting Chambers and the other two attorneys off the case, but agreed to the request.
Karren allowed Bill James and Jeff Rosenzweig to become the attorneys for Mauricico Torres. The two were not in court Wednesday, but they have already agreed to represent him.
Nathan Smith, Benton County’s prosecuting attorney, have said that they intend to try Mauricio Torres first. His jury trial is set to begin Jan. 12. A pre-trail hearing will be Jan. 11.
Cathy Torres’s jury trial is set to begin Jan. 26. A pre-trial hearing is set for Jan. 25.
The Torreses are being held without bond in the Benton County Jail.
The Torreses also were arrested in connection with rape, but prosecutors didn't include that offense in the charging documents. The rape occurred in Missouri, not in Benton County, said Nathan Smith, Benton County prosecuting attorney.
Smith previously said his office did not have jurisdiction to charge the Torreses with rape. The office has jurisdiction in the murder case because the boy died in Benton County, Smith said.
Mauricio Torres and Cathy Torres could each be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted of capital murder. They also are charged with first-degree battery and face from five to 20 years if convicted.