Salon Slayings: Defense Asks Judge to Drop Case in Salon Slayings

MISSOULA – Lawyers for a man accused in the slaying of three Florence women in 2001 are asking a federal judge to toss the criminal case based on claims of misconduct by federal prosecutors.

Defense lawyers for 33-year-old Brian Weber made their case before a federal judge in Missoula Thursday.

Weber is charged in the slayings as part of a drug conspiracy, and is accused of killing Brenda Patch, Cynthia Paulus and Dorothy Harris at a hair salon to collect on a drug debt.

Prosecutors describe Weber as a co-conspirator in the case.

Last month, 35-year-old Lincoln Benavides, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty to two drug charges after prosecutors agreed to drop more serious charges, including three counts of murder.

Weber's lawyers say prosecutors relied on testimony from questionable witnesses to get a grand jury indictment.