---
title: 'News Brief — Kentucky Public Defender Cleared of Tampering Charges in Death Penalty Case'
description: 'NEWS (2/17/20): A Kentucky public defender has been cleared of charges that she tampered with evidence in a capital case. On February 17, 2020, a Kentucky…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news-developments-kentucky-public-defender-cleared-of-tampering-charges-in-death-penalty-case'
section: news
date: '2020-02-17T10:45:00-05:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T15:04:09-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

! **NEWS (2/17/20): A Kentucky public defender has been cleared of charges that she tampered with evidence in a capital case.** On February 17, 2020, a Kentucky grand jury declined to indict **[Angela Elleman](http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/grand-jury-declines-to-indict-defense-lawyer-who-dug-up-shell-casings)** on a felony charge arising out of allegations that she and a defense investigator had dug up shell casings linked to a murder case and kept them in a safe for more than six years. Elleman represents **Anthony Hogan**, a co-defendant of **James Mallory** (pictured), who is facing the death penalty. Mallory's legal team filed motions last year to dismiss his case after [prosecutors illegally eavesdropped](https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/prosecutors-eavesdropped-on-120-confidential-defense-calls-in-kentucky-death-penalty-case) on confidential conversations between Mallory and his attorneys.