Update: McDaniel’s attorneys will contest grand jury makeup, searches in Giddings case

At a half-hour-long morning hearing in Bibb County Superior Court to go over capital-case ground rules, McDaniel’s attorneys, Floyd Buford and co-counsel Franklin J. Hogue, noted a number of issues they intend to contest.

“My client is not gonna waive anything,” Buford said, later noting that he would also seek bail for McDaniel.

McDaniel, 26, was charged in August with the late June slaying and dismemberment of 27-year-old Lauren Giddings, his Mercer law school classmate and next-door neighbor.

McDaniel was formally informed that the state is seeking the death penalty against him. He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 7.

Hogue told Bibb Chief Superior Court Judge S. Phillip Brown that his client would, in a coming motion, be challenging the makeup of the grand jury that indicted McDaniel. The measure involves census figures not yet available.

Buford later said there “is also gonna be an issue about an arrest warrant that was issued in the case.” He also said search-and-seizure, consent search and arrest matters would draw defense scrutiny.

Buford said he would also be filing a conflict-of-interest motion on McDaniel’s behalf. McDaniel worked for a time at the Bibb County courthouse.

Check back later for more.

This story was originally published January 25, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Update: McDaniel’s attorneys will contest grand jury makeup, searches in Giddings case."