Trail’s Lawyers Seeking Information On Death Penalty Decision

WILBER, Neb. (AP April 16) – Attorneys for a man accused of killing and dismembering a Lincoln woman want to find out whether Nebraska’s governor is behind the prosecutors’ decision to seek the death penalty.

Lawyers for 52-year-old Aubrey Trail filed a discovery motion last week in Saline County District Court, seeking documents regarding communications between prosecutors and any members of Gov. Pete Ricketts’ office about the death penalty in criminal cases and especially in Trail’s case and that of his co-defendant.

The motion says Ricketts and his family spent heavily in support of a referendum to reinstate the death penalty after the Legislature voted to abolish it in 2015.

Trail and Bailey Boswell are accused of killing 24-year-old Sydney Loofe in November 2017, dismembering her body and dumping the remains in rural Clay County.

Trail’s trial is scheduled to begin June 17. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty for both Trail and Boswell. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 15.