The Chico man charged with arson of the Bidwell Mansion appeared in court for the second time today, where he was expected to submit his plea.
But his newly appointed attorney requested the hearing be extended until Jan. 22.
On his first court date Monday, 30-year-old Kevin Alexander Carlson had no lawyer representing him. He said he would seek an attorney, but the judge appointed public defender Larry Pilgrim to him. Today Carlson said he would be staying with Pilgrim.
Today Pilgrim requested an extension from the judge in order to continue the discovery process, which involves further exchange of evidence between parties.
“The evidence is still coming in to me,” Pilgrim told NSPR at Butte County Superior Court. “I haven't had a chance to receive it all or review it all. And then certainly the next step will be reviewing it with Mr. Carlson.”
Carlson was arrested earlier this month and is facing felony arson charges that could lead him to up to eleven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
The Bidwell Mansion burned down in the early hours of Dec. 11.
After the initial hearing Monday, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey held a press conference where he said thousands of videos showed Carlson traveling to and from the crime scene on the morning of the fire. Ramsey claims Carlson used a Molotov cocktail or gasoline to ignite the fire and pointed to evidence like a lighter, hammer and gloves investigators found in his car.
