Judge: Neighbors can represent herself

A federal judge will allow a Yellow House Store owner to represent herself, but her attorney will remain involved as standby counsel.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia on Monday granted part of a request from Carrie Neighbors after her disagreements with her attorney, John Duma, came to light.

Federal prosecutors accuse Neighbors and her husband, Guy Neighbors, of selling stolen goods from their secondhand store, 1904 Mass. They face 19 charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering in the 2007 case.

In two other pending cases, prosecutors accuse the couple of manufacturing marijuana and obstructing a theft investigation.

Neighbors filed motions on her own in April and said Duma seemed fixed on a plea agreement and refused to address her complaints about prosecutors, including what she said was “tampered evidence (and) extorted witnesses.”

Murguia in December declared Guy Neighbors not competent to stand trial. He is still being evaluated.

The Neighborses have repeatedly professed their innocence and accused prosecutors and police of corruption. Carrie Neighbors faces a trial in September.