After two attempts to fire Stan Schwieger, convicted murderer Matt Baker has changed his mind and wants to keep the Waco attorney as his appellate lawyer.

Baker, 38, who is serving a 65-year term at a prison unit near Livingston, sent a letter that Schwieger received Monday informing him of his change of heart.

Baker previously had said he wanted to represent himself on appeal but told the Tribune-Herald earlier this month he still was mulling over his decision.

Schwieger, who was waiting to hear from Baker before continuing his work on the case, said he has asked the 10th Court of Appeals to extend Friday’s deadline for filing the appeal brief in Baker’s case.

Schwieger said the court routinely grants extensions, normally for 30 to 60 days.

“I was appointed by the court to do the job,” Schwieger said Tuesday. “I am going to do that job, period, end of story. There is nothing else to say. If I can reverse the decision and get a new trial, fabulous. That is my goal.”

A 19th State District Court jury convicted Baker of murder in January in the April 2007 drugging and suffocation death of his 31-year-old wife, Kari, the mother of his two daughters.

The former Central Texas Baptist minister denies he killed his wife. He claims she was depressed and took her own life or was sending out a call for help by taking sleeping pills.

Baker accused his trial attorneys, Guy James Gray and Harold Danford, both of Kerrville, of not providing effective assistance of counsel.

He also claimed that Judge Ralph Strother erred by allowing an alternate juror to listen, but not participate in, deliberations.

twitherspoon@wacotrib.com

757-5737

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