Court awaits psychological report

Putnam County Judge Joseph Spofford denied a request to replace the court-appointed attorney defending a Philipstown man charged with setting a fire that killed his father in 2019.

Weber

Louis Weber IV, 20, has been accused of causing the death of Louis J. Weber III, 72. His attorney, MaryJane MacCrae, said during a virtual hearing on Tuesday (March 2) that Weber had cited concerns about a delay in receiving discovery materials from her and her workload for other clients.

Weber was arrested on Aug. 23 and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his father, who was found in the remains of his mobile home at 3 Fourth St. in Philipstown after it was destroyed by fire on Nov. 4, 2019.

In addition to the murder charge, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, Weber is charged with two other felonies: arson and tampering with physical evidence. He pleaded not guilty on Sept. 11 and is being held without bail at the Putnam County jail.

MacCrae told Spofford that a psychological report should be ready by the time of Weber’s next appearance, on April 6.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

The Peekskill resident is a former reporter for the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, where he covered Sullivan County and later Newburgh. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Morgan State University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. Location: Cold Spring. Languages: English. Area of Expertise: General.