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Judge Robert Cheshire filed a letter Friday saying he needed more time to decide on pending motions in the cases of four city officials. The letter was filed with the district clerk’s office at 11:30 a.m. – the same time Ratcliff’s hearing was scheduled to start.
Lawyers for Police Chief Bruce Ure, Lt. Ralph Buentello, Mayor Will Armstrong and former city attorney David Smith last month asked a judge to throw out indictments against them. The attorneys argued the indictments were poorly worded and didn’t clearly outline any crimes. They are accused of conspiring to interfere in the investigation against Ratcliff.
“With the number and type of issues raised in the motion to quash, the court’s legal research and analysis took longer than initially expected,” Cheshire wrote.
Initially, Cheshire planned to rule on the motions to quash by Aug. 1.
He has not set a deadline for writing his decision, according to Friday’s letter.