The Aporia · Shocking twist in California murder case as suspect’s attorney arrested in court

Shocking twist in California murder case as suspect’s attorney arrested in court

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Jerkovich, K. (2026, September 20). Shocking twist in California murder case as suspect’s attorney arrested in court. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/19/us-news/california-murder-trial-ends-in-mistrial-after-defense-attorney-arrested-on-suspicion-of-being-under-the-influence/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

During Kelley Marie Ball's murder trial in Stanislaus County, California, her attorney Christopher Loethen was arrested on September 16 for suspicion of public intoxication and being under the influence of a controlled substance. When the trial resumed and Loethen failed to appear, Judge Valli Israels declared a mistrial and appointed Martin Baker as Ball’s new lawyer. Ball faces multiple charges including murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, along with several prior DUI convictions.

Written by AI on 2026-09-20, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

In a shocking turn of events in Stanislaus County, California, attorney Christopher Loethen was arrested on September 16 during the murder trial of Kelley Marie Ball for being under the influence and possessing controlled substances. Following Loethen's absence from court after his release from jail that same night, Judge Valli Israels removed him as Ball’s attorney. Despite extensive efforts to contact Loethen by phone and email, he failed to appear in court when the trial resumed on Thursday. As a result, another defender, Martin Baker, was appointed to take over Ball's case. The legal proceedings were halted with the judge scheduling a second hearing for Friday but without any resolution due to continued absence of Loethen. This incident highlights the unpredictable nature of high-stakes criminal cases and the importance of maintaining professional conduct among defense attorneys.

Written for “Murder Case Suspect Attorney Arrested” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

15%

3 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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not political

takes no side on a contested political question

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66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Crime & Law

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Katie Jerkovich

57 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 57 articles by Katie Jerkovich →

Claims (20 extracted, 3 hedged)

A California murder trial ended in a mistrial after the defendant’s attorney was arrested for allegedly being under the influence — then failed to show up for court. uncertain

attorney → end → court

Attorney Christopher Loethen was arrested Sept. 16 at the Stanislaus County courthouse after his condition raised concerns during the murder trial of Kelley Marie Ball, according to the Modesto Bee. Sign up for the California Morning Report newsletter The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now. Thanks for signing up! uncertain

condition → arrest → California

Loethen was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on suspicion of public intoxication, being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. asserted

Loethen → book → substance

He was released from jail later that night. asserted

He → release → jail

When Ball’s trial resumed Thursday, Loethen was nowhere to be found. asserted

Loethen → resume → ?

The court made “extensive efforts” to reach him by phone and email, but he did not appear, the Bee reported. asserted

Bee → make → phone

A second hearing was scheduled for Friday, with Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Valli Israels leaving messages telling Loethen he needed to appear. asserted

he → schedule → Loethen

He didn’t. asserted

He → do → ?

Israels also addressed Loethen’s behavior before his arrest, saying there had been an apparent change in his demeanor. asserted

Israels → address → demeanor

“It just seemed like there was an aggressiveness about Mr. Loethen, not just towards the court, but in general,” Israels said. asserted

Israels → seem → court

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters With Loethen absent, the judge removed him as Ball’s attorney and appointed another defender, Martin Baker, to take over the case. asserted

judge → download → case

Baker told the court he needed more time to prepare before the jury was scheduled to return Tuesday. asserted

jury → tell → time

Prosecutors objected, but Israels granted the request. asserted

Israels → object → request

The trial had begun Aug. 25 and was in its seventh day when Israels declared a mistrial without prejudice, meaning prosecutors can try Ball again. asserted

prosecutors → begin → Ball

Ball is accused of murder, driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and vandalism. asserted

Ball → accuse → injury

She also had several prior DUI convictions between 1997 and 2007, according to court documents. uncertain

She → have → documents

Ball is due back in court Sept. 24 and remains jailed on $2.195 million bail. asserted

Ball → remain → bail

Loethen’s arrest has also left his own law office scrambling for answers. asserted

arrest → leave → answers

A person at the office told the Bee she had not spoken with Loethen and had no information about his arrest. asserted

she → tell → arrest

The California Post reached out to Loethen’s law office for comment. asserted

Post → reach → comment

Shocking twist in California murder case as suspect’s attorney arrested in court

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Claims (20 extracted, 3 hedged)