Daniel Riley Wants a New Lawyer After Guilty Verdict in Downtown Crash

Riley’s relationship with his defense attorney, Dan Diemer, has apparently soured

Mar 26, 2024 at 12:06 pm

Daniel Riley was found guilty of causing the crash that wounded Janae Edmondson — but still has a robbery case pending. ST. LOUIS CITY JUSTICE CENTER

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Daniel Riley, who was found guilty of multiple assault charges earlier this month, is seeking a new lawyer.

Riley, 22, was the driver responsible for the February 2023 collision in downtown St. Louis that trapped visiting athlete Janae Edmondson between two vehicles. Edmondson had to have both legs amputated.

The collision sparked city-wide outrage, leading St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner resigning from her position under the threat of removal (her moonlighting as a nursing student didn’t help). The outrage was due in large part to Riley causing the collision while out on bond for a pending robbery case and repeatedly violating the terms of his bond.

While Riley awaits sentencing for causing the crash that wounded Edmondson, the robbery case is still working its way through the courts, and during a hearing this morning related to it, Riley's attorney, Dan Diemer, informed Judge Michael Noble, "The milk has been spoiled."

"You'll have to clarify that," the judge responded.

Diemer indicated that the relationship between him and his client had soured. Riley's family had requested him to compile a list of other potential attorneys to represent Riley in the robbery case.

Noble decided to postpone the case until May 16.

Riley's robbery charge stems from a 2020 incident where he allegedly stole a firearm from the son of a retired St. Louis city police sergeant.