Elderly rancher charged with murder for migrant shooting must spent another two ... trends now
The elderly rancher charged with murder for shooting a Mexican migrant who illegally crossed onto his Arizona land begged a judge for his reading glasses and to be allowed to speak with his wife at a recent hearing.
George Alan Kelly, 73, remains in custody in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, on a $1million bond, on a single murder charge. On January 30, he shot and killed Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, after he crossed illegally onto his ranch in Kino Springs, near Nogales.
Friends of Kelly's say he's had trouble before with illegal migrants using his land to cross through. The elderly rancher was thrown in jail - where he has remained despite pleas to lower his bond.
He has not had a chance to explain why he shot Cuen-Butimea, or if he'd met encountered him before. Arizona has stand your ground and trespassing laws, but Kelly's attorney is yet to invoke either.
George Alan Kelly is shown in court on February 2nd after his bond was set at $1million
George Alan Kelly is shown in court on February 2nd with his wife Wanda behind him in the front row. Kelly asked the judge for his reading glasses so that he could read the criminal complaint in front of him, and also pleaded with him that he hadn't spoken 'to anyone'
Today, his court-appointed attorney filed a two-week delay, citing the overwhelming scale of the case as reason for her to need more time to prepare.
It means Kelly must stay in jail for another two weeks at least, awaiting a new attorney or for his current attorney to file a request.
GoFundMe has now removed multiple pages set up by strangers who want to help Kelly.
Meanwhile, newly-obtained video shows the frail 73-year-old shuffling into court in a pair of plastic prison slides.
He then asked the judge to allow him his reading glasses so that he could read the charge against him.
'May I ask a question your honor? I can't read without my reading glasses... they're not prescription just 1.5 magnification or something like that.
