Pelley freed from county jail
5-29-03
SOUTH BEND � A man accused of killing four family members 14 years ago so he could attend some senior prom activities was ordered released from jail Wednesday until his trial scheduled for October.
St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Roland W. Chamblee Jr. ruled that Jeffrey Pelley should be released from jail without bond because of trial delays caused by prosecutors.
Indiana trial rules require anyone held in custody be brought to trial within six months, unless the defendant agrees to the delay. Pelley had been in custody since being arrested in Los Angeles on Aug. 10.
Pelley, 31, most recently of Dade City, Fla., is charged in the April 1989 killing of his father, the Rev. Robert Pelley; his stepmother, Dawn; and stepsisters, Janel and Jolene, at the family�s home in Lakeville about 10 miles south of South Bend.
The murder trial originally was scheduled to start Feb. 3. Prosecutors in January asked for a delay to have potential evidence tested at a laboratory. Because the defense joined in asking for the delay, Chamblee found the time between Jan. 17 and April 21 could not be counted toward the required six months to get Pelley to trial.
Pelley walked out of the St. Joseph County Jail on Wednesday afternoon carrying a large box of files under his left arm. He did not comment to reporters.
At the time of his arrest, authorities said Pelley committed the murders because he was upset about his father remarrying after his mother�s death and about not being allowed to attend prom events.
Deputy Prosecutor Scott Duerring said he is worried that Pelley may not show for trial.
�Given the nature of the case and the penalty that he�s potentially facing, I would say there is a risk of nonappearance in this case,� he said.
Pelley�s attorney, Andre Gammage, said his client will show up for trial. He said Pelley plans to return to Florida until then.
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