Lewies offers to resign if named public defender
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ST. ANTHONY — Fremont County Prosecutor Karl Lewies has applied to be the county’s new public defender, and if he’s chosen, Lewies has offered to resign as prosecutor.
Fremont County Commissioner Lee Miller tells EastIdahoNews.com that Lewies is one of three applicants who applied for the position.
Current county Public Defender Paul Butikofer was elected Jefferson County prosecutor in May and will leave his position in Fremont County at the end of the year.
Miller says Lewies informed county commissioners that if he is selected for Butikofer’s job, he is willing to resign as county prosecutor Oct. 1.
Lewies applied for the public defender position before EastIdahoNews.com posted a story about his involvement with recent controversial plea agreements.
The commissioners will interview all three applicants for the public defender position on Monday, according to Miller. The new public defender will be announced early next week.
Lewies was elected Fremont County prosecutor in 2012. He lost a re-election campaign to Marcia Murdoch earlier this year.