Two new trial dates have been set in 2nd District Court and a new public defender appointed for a California man charged with breaking into his ex-wife's home and trying to kill her.
Terry M. Dexter, 43, Apple Valley, Calif., is charged with aggravted burglary and aggravated assault in the Oct. 9 incident in Layton. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in a separate incident.Dexter, after undergoing two mental evaluations, was found to be competent to stand trial on the charges and was scheduled for trial Wednesday, March 13.
But at a pre-trial hearing last week, Dexter told Judge Rodney S. Page he was not satisfied with his court-appointed defense attorney, Scott Holt, and asked for a new lawyer and new trial date.
The judge agreed, appointing public defender Steve Vanderlinden as Dexter's new attorney. Tuesday, the judge scheduled Dexter's aggravated burglary and aggravated assault trial for April 24. Trial on the conspiracy to commit murder charge is set for May 1.
According to police, Dexter broke into his ex-wife's home, armed with a gun, the night of Oct. 9, saying he intended to kill her. Two shots were fired before the gun jammed, according to police.
The ex-wife's teenage son from a prior marriage, armed with a kitchen knife, jumped Dexter and wounded him. Dexter fled but was found a short time later by Layton police.
He was charged with aggravted burglary, a first-degree felony that carries a five-year-to-life prison term, and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony with a zero-to-five-year prison term. Dexter also faces a five-year enhancement on the aggravated burglary charge because he was armed with a handgun.
While awaiting trial in December, Dexter tried to arrange to pay an undercover drug agent planted in the jail by sheriff's department detectives to kill his wife, according to court records.