Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. (WGNO) — The man accused in the Brunett murder and abduction case, Daniel Callihan, was formally booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on multiple charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping on Monday, July 15.
Callihan already faces federal charges for the same crimes and similar charges in Mississippi, making this the third time he has been booked.
“It’s not unusual. Prosecutors are used to this, and they’ll handle it accordingly,” said WGNO Legal Analyst Cliff Cardone.
When cases cross multiple jurisdictions, Cardone tells WGNO that the different prosecution teams involved often cooperate with each other but are able to coordinate their own individual trials as they please.
“They don’t have to change their calculus. They can each move forward with their prosecutions in their proper jurisdictions at their own timetable,” said Cardone.
With there being potentially not enough time for the defense to prepare for all three at once, Cardone says Callihan’s attorney would likely file motions of continuance in the trials he feels he’s not given enough time for.
“In all likelihood, he’ll be trying one case at a time, and move from one jurisdiction to another until all the cases are complete,” said Cardone.
Cardone says he believes a conviction in one trial would not mean the others would be dismissed.
“It’s a matter of sentencing. One judge may give a sentence of life imprisonment and another judge may give a sentence of life imprisonment and another judge might give a concurrent sentence or a consecutive sentence. We’ve heard that happen many times where you’ll have two consecutive life imprisonments,” said Cardone.
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