DENVER (AP) – A defense investigator in a Colorado death penalty case is behind bars after refusing to testify for prosecutors, saying that helping their effort to execute a defendant would violate her religious beliefs.
Greta Lindecrantz, a Mennonite who opposes capital punishment, has been jailed since Monday after repeatedly refusing to answer questions about her work on the defense team of Robert Ray, one of three men on Colorado’s death row.
She refused to answer questions again Tuesday and has been ordered to return to court Wednesday.
Her attorney, Mari Newman says Lindecrantz would testify if not for the possibility that her testimony could be used to put Ray to death.
Ray’s defense team is challenging his death sentence partly by arguing that he did not have an effective legal team.
Prosecutors apparently subpoenaed Lindecrantz to testify to back up their case that he did have good representation.
Prosecutors wouldn’t comment on the jailing of Lindecrantz.
