Trial Of Laura Reilly Delayed Again

The Berkshire Eagle  reports It will now be at least March until Laura Reilly goes to trial on charges she lied to police investigating the homicide of Joanne "Jo" Ringer, more than two years since her March 2017 disappearance.

The Berkshire Eagle reports newly appointed First Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Karen Bell was recently assigned the case, and told Judge John Agostini on Monday that she will need additional time to get up to speed on the case.

Reilly, 44, of Easthampton, had been scheduled to begin her trial Tuesday in Berkshire Superior Court before Agostini.

She faces three counts of lying to police in the investigation. She is not accused of harming Ringer.

Reilly intends to plead guilty to one of the three counts and take the remaining two counts to trial before a judge only. The trial is expected to last less than a day.

Reilly is accused of lying to police about specific aspects of her recollection and whereabouts in the days after Ringer's disappearance March 2, 2017. Ringer's remains were found in Hatfield in late February.

Ringer's husband, Charles "Chad" Reidy, remains the state's lone suspect in her death. He killed himself more than a month after reporting his wife missing March 4, 2017.

Reilly intends to admit to giving misleading answers to authorities during four police interviews from March 2017 to April 2017 regarding her and Reidy's whereabouts March 2, the day Ringer failed to show for her first shift driving a cab in Easthampton.

But she disputes prosecution claims that she misled police about the specific cellphone Reidy used to contact her March 2, and that she gave false information about whether she was with Reidy on March 3.

A conviction of misleading a police officer carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.