Second Conaway trial moved to Wilmington

Clay Conaway, serving five years in prison for fourth-degree rape, will face the second of his six trials in Wilmington.

Conaway, 23, was scheduled for final case review Jan. 22 in Delaware Superior Court in Georgetown. Prior to the scheduled review, attorneys held an office conference in Judge Richard F. Stokes’ chambers. 

Ten minutes later, Conaway’s attorney, Joe Hurley, emerged with two announcements: first, the second trial, on charges of second-degree attempted rape and strangulation, will start Monday, Feb. 10,  in Wilmington. The change in venue occurred, he said, because the crime is alleged to have taken place in New Castle County. Stokes will continue to preside over the case. 

The second announcement is that Hurley’s new co-counsel will be Wilmington-based attorney Diane Coffey, replacing Natalie Woloshin. Hurley did not comment on the change in co-counsel or any further specifics of the case.

Conaway has been accused of six incidents of rape or attempted rape, taking place over a period of years. Prior to the first trial, the charges, which prosecutors originally planned to try at the same time, were separated into six cases, with the first case tried in September. Conaway was charged with first-degree rape, but the jury convicted him on the lesser offense of fourth-degree rape. He was sentenced to the maximum 15-year sentence suspended after five years.