<\/p>\n
Lee Mongerson Gilley is shown in the 497th District Court at the Harris County Justice Center, 1201 Franklin, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Houston. He is charged with capital murder in death of his wife, Christa Gilley.<\/p>\n
Melissa Phillip\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
Dick DeGuerin, a lawyer for Lee Gilley, leaves the courtroom after discussing motions in his case in front of Judge Peyton Peebles in the 497th District Court in Houston, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Two of the lawyers for Gilley, who is charged with capital murder in his wife’s death and seeking asylum in Italy after escaping the United States with falsified travel documents, asked the court to remove them from the case.<\/p>\n
Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Bill Stradley, left, Ed McClees and Dick DeGuerin, lawyers for Lee Gilley, walk to the bench to discuss motions in his case in front of Judge Peyton Peebles in the 497th District Court in Houston, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Two of the lawyers for Gilley, who is charged with capital murder in his wife’s death and seeking asylum in Italy after escaping the United States with falsified travel documents, asked the court to remove them from the case.<\/p>\n
Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Harris County prosecutors want famed defense attorney Dick DeGuerin to be held in contempt of court for a string of recent media interviews about Lee Gilley’s asylum proceedings<\/a> in Italy, according to court records.\u00a0<\/p>\n District Attorney Sean Teare’s general counsel, Joshua Reiss, accused DeGuerin of running afoul of Judge Petyon Peebles’ gag order \u2014 which the judge put in place following\u00a0DeGuerin’s earlier remarks<\/a> about his trial strategy in Gilley’s capital murder case.\u00a0<\/p>\n Reiss asked for a hearing to debate whether a punishment from the court is merited for the attorney, who has practiced law since 1965. A hearing has not been scheduled, but both sides are due in court in September.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n “DeGuerin understood \u2014 and ignored \u2014 this court’s order directing that he ‘shall refrain’ from talking to the media,” Reiss wrote in a court filing Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The comments center on whether DeGuerin went too far in\u00a0sharing his perspective on an Italian court order postponing Gilley’s extradition. The overseas court sought clarity from prosecutors on whether they plan to seek the death penalty against Gilley in the death of his wife, Christa Gilley, or whether they’d consider lesser charges that don’t include a punishment of life without parole.\u00a0<\/p>\n