Houser Case in Court

Local attorney Lance Freezeland entered his appearance Thursday as counsel for Zebediah Houser, the Effingham man charged with concealment of a homicidal death.

Freezeland was appointed by Judge Marc Kelly to represent Houser due to the illness of Conflicts Public Defender Richard Runde.

Freezeland told the judge that he met with Houser earlier this week, but has not reviewed the documentation on the case.  He said he was to pick up the information from Runde's office today. Judge Kelly then scheduled a pre-trial hearing for March 6 at 10am to further review Houser's case.

Houser is to go on trial March 10, but that seems highly unlikely in that Freezeland is just getting acquainted with his client's case.  The matter will likely be addressed at the hearing on the 6th.

Houser is charged with Kristy Mathis in assisting Christine Burr in disposing of the body of Joseph Delaney in rural Jasper County after he was allegedly stabbed to death by Burr sometime after July 1, 2011.