Trial over money following relatives’ deaths postponed

A probate judge postponed the upcoming trial of a man accused by relatives of killing his millionaire grandfather for inheritance money after the family fired some lawyers and the man was told to hire his own.

The New Hampshire trial was scheduled to start Jan. 22 for 24-year-old Nathan Carman, of Vernon, Vt., who's denied any role in his grandfather's shooting death in Connecticut in 2013.

Carman's also denied any role in the disappearance of his mother during a 2016 fishing trip. Their boat sank near Rhode Island. Carman's three aunts believe Carman killed her and they are trying to prevent him from inheriting the mother's share of her father's estate.

The grandfather, John Chakalos, left his four daughters, including Carman's mother, an estate worth more than $42 million.

The Hartford Courant reports Carman, who has been representing himself and put his house up for sale to get money for a lawyer, is likely to be provided $150,000 from a trust fund that was set up by Chakalos. A Connecticut judge is expected to authorize that in a hearing next week.

Carman didn’t want a trial delay, but Judge David King told him he needs a lawyer.

Meanwhile, a Boston firm representing Carman’s aunts withdrew from the case Friday. Robert Satterly, a New Hampshire probate attorney for the aunts, said they were stunned by King's “devastating and critical review of their counsel” in a Dec. 21 ruling. King had accused lawyers from the firm of attempting to take advantage of Carman’s lack of legal representation and training.