In a recent turn of events, attorney Robert Werking, representing James Craig, the former Aurora dentist accused of murdering his wife, has stepped down from the case following an arrest on an arson charge. According to 9NEWS, Werking was found sitting on the front porch of his burning Centennial home early Sunday and subsequently arrested. This development comes not long before Craig’s rescheduled trial is set to begin on July 10.
With the trial looming, Craig faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder of his wife, Angela Craig, on March 18, 2023, and death by poisoning. The Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Werking filed a motion to withdraw. Craig's initial November 2024 trial was derailed after his then-attorney cited new information from the discovery that compelled him to step down. Now, Werking's withdrawal marks the second instance of an attorney leaving Craig's defense team right as a trial is about to get underway, as reported by The Denver Gazette.
Beyond murder, James Craig is also charged with two counts each of soliciting tampering with evidence, perjury, and an additional charge of soliciting murder, allegedly attempting to arrange multiple killings from behind bars. After Werking's arrest, Lisa Moses, co-counsel and Werking's spouse remains on the case. She, alongside attorney Ashley Witham, who joined on June 18, will represent Craig moving into the trial, as detailed by The Denver Post.
The arson charges against Werking are pivotal, with court documents related to his arrest remaining sealed. The Chief Deputy District Attorney cited the potential impact on the upcoming trial's integrity as the reason, a rationale deemed "unusual" by defense attorney Doug Richards. "To me, it feels like a dubious and pretextual reason for sealing a public record," Richards told The Denver Post. Meanwhile, the prosecution maintains that the suppression of details was necessary "in an abundance of caution to preserve defendant Craig’s right to a fair trial." This statement was given as crews worked to control the fire at Werking's home, finding evidence of an incendiary accelerant at the scene, and raising questions about the specifics of his actions on that night.
