Chivers no longer able to represent himself in murder case

CHIVERS

One of three Indianapolis men charged in connection with a 2017 Whitley County triple homicide, who has staunchly maintained his right act as his own attorney for more than four years, was appointed a public defender earlier this week following a determination that he was no longer adequately capable of representing himself.

Darnel Chivers, 42, appeared in Whitley Circuit Court on Monday for what was scheduled to be a hearing to allow him to argue for a motion he filed in August accusing prosecutors in the case of prosecutorial misconduct.

Chivers has previously argued a motion of prosecutorial misconduct during a court appearance earlier in the summer based on similar claims, though that motion was overruled.

Monday’s hearing, specifically, was to address an audio recording of the case’s presentation to a Whitley County grand jury in May 2019, which led to Chivers being indicted on charges of first-degree burglary, tampering with physical evidence and three counts of murder.