There’s no denying that Elizabeth “Betsy” Faria’s murder trial is fraught with controversy every step of the way, but what’s surprising is that even detectives and prosecutors are involved. From Russell “Russ” Faria’s two lawsuits to the apparent plan concocted by Pam Hupp for an alleged affair unrelated to the case, it had it all, just like ‘The Thing About Pam’ details. So now, if you want to know more about the woman who persecuted Betsy’s husband not once but twice, along with her personal opinions, we’ve got the details for you.
Who is Leah Askey?
A Juris Doctorate (2006) from Saint Louis University School of Law, Leah Askey was on a fast track in her career when she first received the Betsy Faria murder case. That’s why jurors believed her in 2013, when she portrayed Russ as a weed-smoking, abusive man who assaulted his wife after learning she’d replaced him as the beneficiary of her life insurance policy. As for his alibi, Leah suggested that whoever killed Betsy cleaned up and walked the dog, and that there was no one else who could do that quickly but the man who owned it.
In the latter case, the prosecutor even charged the friends who corroborated Russ’ statements that he was at a game night, turning them into co-conspirators who were never charged. It’s imperative to note that within the next two years, allegations came to light that Leah was in a romantic relationship with Mike Lang, the then-captain of the Sheriff’s Office investigations, which she denied. Seemingly unfazed, she then went on to try Russ one more time in 2015, but with further evidence fully linked to Pam Hupp, he was acquitted for good.
Where is Leah Askey now?
After his acquittal, Russ Faria sued Leah Askey and three investigating officers for deliberately ignoring exculpatory evidence, but a judge dismissed her name from the lawsuit. Despite this, the Lincoln County Commissioner’s Office investigated Leah in 2017 for both criminal and ethical misconduct, revealing that while she did not mishandle the Betsy/Russ case, she has had other complaints against her. In addition, she was voted out of office in 2018 — a result many have attributed to the indirect role she played in Russ’ wrongful conviction.
Since then, Leah Askey, now Leah Wommack Chaney, has happily continued as a lawyer and advisor at a private practice called Chaney Law Group. We should add, however, that the former Lincoln County prosecutor has also admitted that she will no longer be silent, much less have her character killed for no reason. “They’ve tried time and again to get me off the ban,” she said. “They have claimed that I have done despicable things across the board. And every time they’ve done that, I’ve been cleared of all that.”
Confirming that she has no regrets about how she’s done her job, Leah then said, “I feel like everything I did, I did in an effort to make sure we were on the right track and to make sure we’re on the right track.” to make sure we don’t prosecute anyone who shouldn’t be prosecuted for a crime.”
Read more: Where is Pam Hupp now?
