Judge appoints attorney in case of adopted boy's killing
By RICK LEE
Less than two weeks before their preliminary hearing on homicide charges, a Carroll Township couple accused in the beating death of their 7-year-old adopted son were brought to court Friday to discuss legal representation.
The York County District Attorney's Office had filed a motion to remove Bloomsburg lawyer Gregory T. Moro as defense attorney for Michael and Nanette Craver.
Common Pleas Court Judge John S. Kennedy, after advising the Cravers of the potential problems of having the same defense attorney, appointed Lancaster lawyer Vincent J. Quinn to represent Michael J. Craver, 45.
Nanette Craver, 54, retained Moro's services.
Quinn is to meet with Michael Craver in York County Prison, where husband and wife are being held without bail, to discuss his appointment. Quinn currently is also representing Brian D. Hummert, who is facing retrial in the killing of his wife in 2004.
If Michael Craver decides to instead retain Moro as his defense attorney, he will be summoned again before Kennedy to explain his decision.
Russian-born Ivan Skorobogatov, who was renamed Nathaniel M. Craver, died Aug. 25 at Hershey Medical Center. An autopsy revealed more than 80 external injuries to his body, about 20 of which were to his head, according to the criminal affidavit.
Nathaniel and his twin sister were adopted in Russia by the Cravers in 2003. Following Nathaniel's death, his sister was placed into foster care.
The case sparked outrage in Russia after charges were filed in February. Since then -- and since the recent case of a boy who was sent alone to Moscow by his adoptive mother in Tennessee -- Russian officials have said they suspended adoptions of Russian children by U.S. families. Officials with the U.S. State Department have disputed that there is a full suspension in place.
The Cravers' preliminary hearing on charges of homicide, endangering the welfare of children and criminal conspiracy is scheduled for April 29 before District Judge Richard T. Thomas.