HOUSTON – New court records filed Wednesday in Harris County appear to indicate at least two of Lee Gilley’s three U.S. defense attorneys are seeking to withdraw from the case.
The apparent shift comes days after Gilley asked an Italian judge for protection in Europe — despite advice from his attorney, Dick DeGuerin, to waive extradition and return to the U.S. for his capital murder trial.
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Two motions to withdraw were filed under seal Wednesday, records show, though it remains unclear which of Gilley’s attorneys are asking Judge Peyton Peebles to release them from representing the 39-year-old.
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Last week, DeGuerin told KPRC 2 News he spoke with Gilley by phone in Italy and urged him to waive extradition and return to the U.S.
But on Monday, when Gilley appeared in court in Turin, Italy, reporters in the courtroom said he told the judge:
“My wife is dead, and they wrongly blamed me; that’s why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife. The only crime I committed was fleeing. I fled to avoid being killed. I went to great lengths to escape and seek protection in Italy.”
Charged with capital murder, Gilley faces life without parole or the death penalty in Texas, although Harris County prosecutors have never indicated whether they intend to seek the latter.
Italy, whose criminal justice system emphasizes rehabilitation, generally does not extradite individuals facing such severe punishments.
A decision on extradition has not yet been made, and Gilley has also indicated he plans to seek asylum in Italy.
The reasons behind the Texas attorneys’ requests to withdraw remain unclear, as the documents were filed under seal and a gag order was entered in the case Friday night. In addition to DeGuerin, Gilley is represented by Ed McClees and Bill Stradley.
DeGuerin confirmed the filings reflected in public records but declined to provide additional details.
“It’s not unusual, but it’s very difficult to speculate on the reasons,” said Rick DeToto, a criminal defense attorney not connected to the case. “It could be a multitude of things.”
Possible reasons could include financial disputes, an inability to communicate with the client, violations of an employment contract, bond violations, and other issues, DeToto said.
Gilley, who is accused of strangling his pregnant wife, Christa Bauer, in October 2024, allegedly cut off his GPS ankle monitor and traveled from Texas to Canada before arriving on an Air Canada flight in Milan last weekend using forged Belgian travel documents and an alias.
Judge Peebles will ultimately decide whether Gilley’s defense team can withdraw, though it remains unclear when that decision could come. Gilley’s trial is still scheduled to begin later this month if he is returned from Italy.