Taped telephone conversations show Joseph Meling is likely to flee while awaiting trial on charges he killed two people as he tried to poison his wife with doctored pills, a prosecutor says.
But Meling's lawyer says the conversations between Meling and his wife are private and shouldn't have been excerpted in court documents.Meling, 31, of Tumwater, is being held without bail on charges he put cyanide into six capsules in packages of Sudafed 12-hour cold medicine. Two people died and his wife went into a coma after taking the capsules in February 1991.
Jennnifer Meling recovered, filed for divorce and talked to police and federal investigators. She later reconciled with her husband.
Defense lawyer Cyrus R. Vance Jr., who wants Meling released on electronic surveillance, claims the conversations were confidential marital communications that normally are barred from use in court.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Joanne Maida said in court papers the telephone conversations showed that, if Meling were released on bail, he might flee before his trial.
U.S. Magistrate Philip K. Sweigert on Friday postponed a detention hearing until Sept. 10.