Man waives right to hearing in stabbing of Salt Lake City attorney

Salt Lake City defense attorney Stephen B. Killpack is no stranger to court.

But circumstances were different Wednesday, as Killpack sat surrounded by friends and family inside a 3rd District courtroom. He was there to testify against the man accused of trying to kill him inside his Salt Lake City home. Instead, he left without saying a word.

Matthew Christopher Wall, 28, waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Judge Ann Boyden.

Wall is charged with felony counts of burglary, possession of a deadly weapon and attempted murder in connection with the July attack that left Killpack hospitalized with several stab wounds to the chest.

An arraignment was scheduled for Jan. 11 before Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman, where defense attorney Lawrence M. Sleight expects Wall to plead not guilty.

After the brief appearance Wednesday, Killpack walked out of the courtroom flanked by his daughter and a family friend. Killpack, 63, said though he's not quite recovered from the stabbing, he's "getting better every day."

Killpack told police he awoke on the morning of July 5 to find a stranger in his home, removing pictures from the wall and disconnecting computer wires.

According to a probable cause statement, Killpack asked the man who he was and what he was doing. The intruder identified himself, the document states, and then pounced, stabbing Killpack in the stomach, neck and head.

Killpack managed to push the man away, escape his home and walk down the street, knock on a neighbor's door and then collapse in the front yard two houses down.

Wall told police he was invited into Killpack's home, at the corner of 1200 East and 200 South, by a man unknown to him who had been sleeping on the balcony, according to a probable cause statement filed with the Salt Lake County jail.

Wall said "the old man" was mad at him because Wall had "messed with his pantings (sic)." A fight ensued, in which "the old man" tried to cut Wall's neck with a large knife and a small knife, the jail statement said.

mlang@sltrib.com

Twitter: marissa_jae