The Allen County man charged in the brutal death of a young girl nearly three years ago was in court Tuesday afternoon with his lawyer for the last time. Timothy Madden’s defense attorney was disqualified from the case in May.
The 41-year-old Madden has been declared indigent and in need of state funds to prepare his death penalty case for trial. Attorney Travis Lock has been representing Madden pro bono for more than a year, but the defendant and his family can no longer afford to hire expert witnesses who would, among other things, conduct psychological evaluations of the defendant. Madden is prohibited by law from using public funds for private representation, and was appointed public defender Tom Griffiths who specializes in capital cases. Lock said it was a bit emotional having to step aside.
"This case has been a very significant part of my life for two-and-a-half years," Lock told WKU Public Radio. "Like most attorneys, when we get involved in something, we want to see it through. I wan't able to do that in this case and that makes it very difficult."
Madden is charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering seven-year-old Gabbi Doolin of Scottsville in 2015. The change in attorneys means the case won’t go to trial next month as originally scheduled.