Churchill lawyer asks for more time on Masters case

The Coloradoonian:

Guantanamo, Churchill cases prompt request

Lawyers for Timothy Masters have asked for more time in his lawsuit against Fort Collins and Larimer County officials because his legal team is busy working on other cases - including helping Guantanamo Bay detainees sue the federal government.

In a court filing this week, Masters' attorneys say they are working "diligently" on the suit they filed but need more time. They've asked for a 30-day extension to respond to requests by the city and county to dismiss the case.

Masters is suing over what he says was a wrongful conviction and nearly 10-year incarceration for the 1987 stabbing death of Peggy Hettrick in Fort Collins. Masters was convicted in 1999 by a jury and his conviction upheld by the state's two highest courts. . . .

Lead attorney David Lane and other lawyers say they are working on several cases involving detainees at Guantanamo Bay, who are suing former President George W. Bush and other federal officials.

Lane also notes that he's preparing for a three-week trial in which former University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill is suing his former employer for wrongful termination.

Busy, busy, busy. But, as a commenter notes, "The judge should not grant the extension. The inability of an egotistical lawyer to manage his own schedule and commitments should not inconvenience the court."