Defendant seeks new judge, DA in triple murder retrial

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE - A man facing retrial in a 13-year-old triple slaying on Signal Mountain has asked the judge and district attorney on the case to step aside. <br> <br> The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Frank Casteel&#39;s 1998 conviction in the slayings of three men who rode all-terrain vehicles onto his 130 acres to go swimming. Casteel, who lived in Rock Springs, Georgia when he was charged, had been given three life sentences. <br> <br> Jury selection for his new trial is scheduled for April 22. <br> <br> Casteel argues in a motion that Criminal Court Judge Doug Meyer, who presided over his first trial, has shown either bias or the appearance of bias against him. <br> <br> Another motion asks that the Hamilton County district attorney&#39;s office be disqualified from prosecuting the case. Chris Poole, now an assistant district attorney, formerly worked in a law office with his father, who helped defend Casteel during his first trial. <br> <br> A third motion asks for a change of venue, citing the publicity the investigation garnered. <br> <br> Killed were 49-year-old Richard Mason of Signal Mountain; his 22-year-old son-in-law, Kenneth Griffith of Red Bank; and Griffith&#39;s Air Force buddy, 23-year-old Earl Smock of Decatur.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/2/203063