Peabody murder trial postponed after defense lawyer charged with theft

SALEM – The start of the murder trial of Fernando Aristy, charged with the beating death of a Peabody father of two last year, has been continued until next year because of a new attorney entering the case.Defense lawyer Raymond D. Buso, who has been representing Aristy since the onset of the case, withdrew his appearance and John P. Morris entered the case on Tuesday asking to delay the expected October trial date until Jan. 23 because he needs time to prepare.Court Judge Kimberly Budd granted Morris? request.Buso, 58, had been appointed to represent Aristy as a public defender, but because of his own legal problems in which he is charged with three counts of larceny and vandalism involving the stealing of advertising signs in Salem, Aristy?s case was reassigned to Morris.Aristy, 24, a former Chelsea resident, is charged with the beating death of Chad R. McDonald, Sr., 34, of Peabody, on Oct. 9, 2010 outside a 37 Bennett St., Lynn warehouse after the pair got into a fight over a parking space.McDonald was later found inside the warehouse by a friend and died for his injuries two weeks later.Aristy, who maintains he is innocent of the first-degree murder charge, remains held at the Middleton Jail without bail pending the outcome of his case.A conviction on a first-degree murder charge carries a life sentence behind bars with no chance of ever being paroled.