Steele can meet with defendant husband

The wife of a North Idaho lawyer accused of hiring someone to kill her will be allowed to meet with her husband every week.

Cyndi and Edgar Steele can meet once a week at the Spokane County Jail or over the phone, according to a ruling issued Monday by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.

Edgar Steele’s lawyer, Roger Peven, must be present, and the visits must be recorded.

Peven is required to end the meeting if the Steeles try to discuss the murder-for-hire case, and the two are prohibited from exchanging notes or documents.

Magistrate Candy Dale will review the jail recordings on a regular basis. Cyndi Steele had asked for the no-contact order to be lifted, but Winmill said she hasn’t provided evidence that prosecutors’ concerns about witness tampering and victim protection have been addressed.

Also this week, Winmill delayed Steele’s trial until March 7.

Meghann M. Cuniff