By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

With a nine-day trial scheduled to begin March 29, a man charged in 2017 with 12 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with children and one count of battery now wants to have a preliminary hearing he waived in July 2017.

Jerry Thouvenell’s trial has been scheduled and postponed 11 times, the most recent postponement being from Nov. 3 to March 29.

That postponement was to give more preparation time to Thouvenell’s new lawyer, Kevin Loeffler of McPherson, appointed in June because his first lawyer was under investigation for ethics violations.

Thouvenell’s first lawyer, David P. Leon, was at that time facing a disciplinary hearing on allegations that he repeatedly delayed trials, mingled clients’ money with his own instead of holding it in a special account, and did not stay in communication with clients.

Leon’s hearing has taken place, but no ruling has been issued.

Thouvenell fired Leon in August.

Loeffler filed a motion Nov. 15, asking for a preliminary hearing to be scheduled for Thouvenell.

The motion said Leon never told Thouvenell how waiving a preliminary hearing could impact his case.

“He was not advised of his possible defenses to the crimes he has been charged with nor of how a preliminary hearing can be important in establishing these defenses,” Loeffler wrote.

When Loeffler’s office was contacted to ask how a preliminary hearing would affect the trial, his secretary said: “We’re not going to answer that.”

Thouvenell’s alleged crimes occurred from Jan. 1, 2012, to Aug. 8, 2016.