Calif. tourist wants to change plea in Maui murder Calif. tourist wants to change plea in Maui murder ADVERTISING WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The California tourist who pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend while they
Calif. tourist wants to change plea in Maui murder
WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The California tourist who pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend while they vacationed on Maui has changed his mind.
Gerald Galaway Jr. is asking to withdraw his plea, saying that he accepted the deal because he was concerned about a trial’s financial burden on his family. According to the withdrawal motion, he didn’t understand that he could have a court-appointed attorney represent him for free.
Galaway was originally charged with second-degree murder in last year’s death of Celestial Cassman, who worked for a Santa Cruz, Calif., law firm representing several cities.
The Maui News (http://ow.ly/cTtQM ) reported Friday that in the motion, court-appointed attorney William Sloper says Galaway didn’t have a clear mind when he took the plea and had been under psychiatric care.
