SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake pediatrician accused of killing his ex-wife pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Monday.
John Brickman Wall, 49, made a brief appearance in 3rd District Court to enter his plea. His next court date, a status conference, was scheduled for Feb. 3.
Wall is charged with murder and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies, in the death of his ex-wife, Uta Von Schwedler, 49, who was found dead in an overflowing bathtub in her home at 1433 E. Harrison Ave. (1625 South) on Sept. 27, 2011. The cause of death was determined to be drowning. But the manner of death could not be determined.
Wall was ordered to stand trial following a three-day preliminary hearing earlier this month.
But defense attorney Fred Metos reiterated outside court Monday that he believes there is plenty of reasonable doubt that can be raised at trial regarding the state's evidence against his client.
"There's some serious questions beginning with the medical examiner's testimony about what the cause of death was and the reliance on the DNA, as we pointed out at the preliminary hearing, is marginal at best," he said.
A trial date may also be set at the Feb. 3 hearing.