Heather Mack has not seen her lawyer face-to-face in nearly a month due to strict COVID protocols at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, attorney Jeff Steinback said during a court appearance for his client Tuesday. NBC 5’s Chris Coffey has more details.
Heather Mack has not seen her lawyer face-to-face in nearly a month due to strict COVID protocols at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, attorney Jeff Steinback said during a court appearance for his client Tuesday.
Mack, 26, is facing federal conspiracy and obstruction charges in federal court, after serving seven years in prison in Indonesia for the murder of her mother, Sheila von Wiese Mack, in 2014.
Mack was deported to the United States last November, where she was immediately arrested upon landing in Chicago.
US prosecutors allege Mack and her then-boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, conspired to murder von Wiese Mack overseas.
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Mack and Steinback appeared in federal court via telephone Tuesday afternoon, where the judge granted Steinback's request for additional time to review pre-trial discovery provided by the government.
Mack is due back in court on April 6.
“The Heather Mack case appears to be cut and dry. We know it’s focused on a conspiracy claim that happened here in the United States, so I’m not sure if this is as complex as some,” said Harold Krent of the Chicago-Kent College of Law. “I do think that the attorney should be able to proceed within the time allotted today by the court, but we will see.”
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Mack and Schaefer’s daughter, Stella, was born in Indonesia. he is currently living with the family of a suburban Chicago-based attorney who has represented the child’s interests for several years.
Schaefer’s mother, Kia Walker, is requesting guardianship of Stella.
