Accused University Of Illinois Kidnapper's Attorneys Withdraw From Case

URBANA, IL — A U.S. District judge on Friday allowed attorneys for a Champaign man accused of kidnapping of visiting Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang to withdraw from the case. Lawyer Tom Bruno and his sons, Anthony and Evan Bruno, last week filed a U.S. District Court motion asking to withdraw from Brendt Christensen's defense, saying the accused kidnapper, suspected in the abduction and possible murder of 26-year-old Zhang, can't afford to pay them for what could become a death-penalty case if additional charges are filed, the Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette reported.

Judge Colin Bruce granted the lawyers' request and said that a new attorney, paid with federal funds, will be brought in to represent Christensen.

Zhang, a visiting scholar at the University of Illinois, vanished June 9. She was last seen on surveillance video getting into a Black Saturn Astra — the same vehicle authorities say was owned by Christensen.

Zhang arrived in Urbana in April and was on her way to sign a lease for an apartment when she went missing. Authorities have said they believe she is dead.

During an interview with FBI agents, Christensen reportedly admitted to giving Zhang a ride, but said he let her out of the vehicle when she asked.

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Christensen, who was spotted at a vigil held at U of I for Zhang, was under surveillance when investigators say they recorded audio of him talking about how Zhang fought him when he kidnapped her before taking her back to his apartment. Authorities say he also visited an "Abduction 101" forum on the website FetLife. He was arrested June 30.

A motion filed by Christensen's attorneys last week said if additional charges are filed, he could require a death-penalty defense — and he can't afford it. In late August, "the government suggested in open court that it would seek a superseding Grand Jury indictment on additional charges within the next 30 to 45 days," the motion states, according to the News-Gazette. "Attorneys reasonably anticipate that such additional charges may implicate the prospect of capital punishment ... Despite best efforts over the past two months, Defendant and his family have been unable to secure sufficient additional funds to pay Attorneys for representation on additional charges."

Christensen, 27, studied physics at the University of Wisconsin and was a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois.

Main photo of Brendt Christensen/Macon County Sheriff's Office via AP