The trial of an Eagle Mountain man charged with holding his wife and children at gunpoint before engaging police in a prolonged standoff will be postponed while his new defense attorney familiarizes herself with the case.

At a hearing in late July, defense attorney Craig Bainum asked to withdraw from the case. McVey found the 34-year-old Graham indigent and assigned the Utah County Public Defender Association to represent him.

Bainum declined to discuss why he left the case.

"It's kind of between me and Matt," he said. "I still think [the prosecutors] grossly overstated what happened."

Deputy county attorney Doug Finch said a plea deal offer that was extended to Graham earlier in the case was still open, and he expressed hope that the case could be resolved without going to trial. Trials in such cases are difficult on families, Finch said, especially if children have to testify, which is possible if Graham's case goes to trial.

"My problem with a case like this is, I really hate to see such a young person really risk the rest of their life on a 15-to-life charge," Finch said. "I think [a plea deal] is reasonable as long as we can do something safely for him to get treatment and to get past the situation."

Graham was arrested in late January after a four-and-a-half-hour standoff with Utah County sheriff's deputies at his Eagle Mountain home. Mindy Graham, his wife of 12 years, testified at his preliminary hearing that Graham became agitated following an argument and that he brandished two handguns at her and her four children. He held them for about an hour, allowing them to leave only after sheriff's deputies knocked on the door, she testified.

Aggravated kidnapping is a first-degree felony.

Graham pleaded not guilty in May.

• Jeremy Duda can be reached at 344-2561 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it