Anchorage Daily News

Lawyers defending accused killer Joshua Wade told a federal judge on Friday that they wanted their client transported back to Seattle so they could better prepare his case.

U.S. marshals transported Wade, 28, to Anchorage on Wednesday. Previously, he had not been in his home state in six months.

He is now being housed at the Anchorage Jail.

Speaking telephonically to the court during a routine proceeding, Washington-based defense attorneys Gilbert Levy and Suzanne Elliott told Judge John Roberts that they wanted their client near them so they could meet in person and discuss the case.

Wade is accused of torturing and killing nurse practitioner Mindy Schloss in August 2007. It is the second time he has been accused of killing a woman. He was acquitted in the 2000 slaying of Della Brown.

Prosecutors can ask for the death penalty if Wade is found guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta-Rae Randall joined the prosecution team on Friday, telling the judge she has experience with death penalty cases.

Wade was brought back to Anchorage for an Oct. 6 hearing, when his lawyers and the prosecution are expected to argue over admissible evidence for his May trial in Fairbanks.

Randall said it was in the federal government's financial interest to keep Wade in Alaska because transporting him back and forth would be expensive.

In the courtroom on Friday, Wade wore a yellow prison uniform. At least two marshals stood nearby watching him. At one point, he appeared frustrated and interrupted the judge to ask when he could speak to his lawyers.

The judge allowed him to speak to his lawyers in private, then continued the proceeding.

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