Embattled East Chicago councilman Robert Battle will remain in prison until at least Dec. 9 on murder and drug trafficking charges.
Battle, D-3rd, pleaded not guilty during an initial appearance and arraignment hearing Tuesday at the U.S. District Court in Hammond, according to court records. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry ordered him held without bond pending the detention hearing, which he set for Dec. 9.
Cherry did not set a trial date, but the trial is expected to last two weeks, according to court records.
It appears Battle has yet another new attorney, Jack Friedlander. He was previously represented by Walter Alvarez when police were investigating him but had not charged him yet. After he was charged in Lake County, John Cantrell filed to appear as his attorney.
However, Friedlander is the only attorney to file to appear as his attorney in federal court so far. Friedlander could not be reached for comment Thursday, and it was unclear if Cantrell was still representing Battle as well.
According to officials, Battle has also been moved from the Lake County Jail to the Porter County Jail, which often houses federal inmates awaiting trial.
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Battle was charged in late October with murdering Reimundo Camarillo Jr. According to court records, he and Camarillo got into a fight outside Battle’s house. Battle claims he shot Camarillo in self-defense. An autopsy showed Camarillo was shot once in the back.
U.S. Attorney David Capp announced last week that his office would take over the case, however, and charged Battle with murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy, along with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana, and discharging a gun during a drug trafficking crime. The cocaine and marijuana possession charges are both alleged to have taken place Sept. 23, according to the indictment, when Indiana State Police pulled Battle over on Interstate 94 after they suspected him of visiting a drug dealer in Michigan, according to court records.
Battle remains in office despite being held in jail. Indiana law calls for the automatic removal of public officials convicted of a felony.