Pima County Superior Court Judge Howard Fell told Pamela Phillips’ attorney Wednesday he’s never met murder victim Gary Triano.
Fell’s unusual appearance in Judge Richard Field’s courtroom was sparked by a motion suggesting Fell failed to disclose a conflict of interest in Phillips’ case.
Phillips is suspected of hiring Ronald Young to kill her former husband, who died in a pipe bomb explosion in November 1996. Young is serving a life sentence in the case.
Fields ordered Phillips to undergo a competency exam in September and asked Fell to choose a doctor to examine Phillips and to make a decision. Until recently, Fell presided over mental health matters.
Attorney Peter Herberg filed a motion complaining Fell failed to disclose connections to Triano. He suggested Fell, prosecutors or “someone else” may have appointed Paul Simpson because the psychologist is a Christian and doesn’t believe in recovered memories.
People are also reading…
Herberg said Phillips recovered memories after working with a guru in India and “has unusual beliefs linked to Hinduism and astrology.”
Fell told Herberg he never met Triano. He believes he and Triano were on a YMCA fundraising team years ago, but they operated independently of each other, Fell said. He was also unaware they were law school students at the same time.
If Triano was investigated for crimes while he was a prosecutor, Fell said he wasn’t aware of it.
Fell then offered to answer any other questions about Herberg’s “unfortunate accusations.”
Herberg told the judge he was sorry he perceived them to be accusations and now, knowing them to be false, offered to withdraw them.
Fell testily advised Herberg he is offended because Herberg suggested he violated judicial ethics.
Fields ruled Simpson’s appointment was aboveboard.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
