Now that his case being transferred to a different judge, an ASU plant biology professor could be changing his plea to guilty for his alleged involvement in an Ecstasy drug ring on campus.
During a trial management conference Friday, Ralph Backhaus' attorney, Larry Debus, requested that the case be transferred in order for Backhaus to possibly change his innocent plea to guilty and work out a plea agreement deal with the defense.
Backhaus will be heading to trial for 11 felony charges related to the manufacture, possession and sale of illegal drugs, as well as money laundering and criminal racketeering.
Police allege that Backhaus and members of his drug ring used ASU resources to manufacture more than $1 million worth of Ecstasy each day. Authorities discovered the ring in Oct. 2001, after a two-month investigation.
Backhaus was in attendance at the conference, but declined to comment.
"He is on unpaid leave at this point until the case is resolved," said ASU Media Relations spokesperson Keith Jennings.
Although Backhaus's case is moving to a different judge, co-defendants, such as plant biology senior Clayton Prepsky, will remain with the same judge.
Prepsky, Backhaus's former teaching assistant, was charged with manufacturing and possession of equipment and chemicals for making dangerous drugs and the possession for his alleged involvement with the Ecstasy ring.
Prepsky was unavailable for comment.
Reach the reporter at christina.viloria@asu.edu.
