All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Lander, WY) – The court cases for Lorenzo Hopper and Amanda Phillips are headed in different directions, as one moves on to a jury trial in November, and the other to a post-plea-change sentencing hearing in October. The two individuals were charged this Spring in relation to a series of break-ins that occurred on April 21 at various businesses in Lander, which culminated with a clerk being stabbed at a gas station located on the 100 block of Main Street.
Following the events, Lorenzo Hopper was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated assault and battery, interference with a peace officer, and theft (taking), while Phillips, the reported driver, was originally charged with one count of accessory before the fact to burglary, one count of accessory after the fact to aggravated assault, and one count of fleeing or attempting to elude.
After the pair pled “not guilty” to the charges in May, September jury trials were scheduled for both individuals, but Hopper’s date has since been reset to November, and Phillips will move on to sentencing after a change-of-plea hearing.
In late July, the court approved an unopposed motion to reset Hopper’s jury trial to November 16, after accepting a motion to change counsel in the weeks prior. No plea agreements have been filed on his behalf as of this writing.
As for Phillips, her September jury trial was vacated after a plea agreement that was filed on her behalf on August 12, and the subsequent change-of-plea hearing. Under that agreement, Phillips pled “guilty” to the accessory before the fact to burglary charge, on the condition that the other two charges would be dismissed. The plea agreement did not include sentencing parameters, which the court will decide at her October 22 sentencing hearing if the judge ultimately accepts the plea. However, the plea agreement also required that Phillips would have to pay restitution on all counts originally charged in the information document.
County 10 will provide updates for both upcoming hearings, which can be viewed here.