Attorney for alleged Russian spy in Hawaii withdraws following ‘breakdown’ in relationship

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A federal judge ruled that a new attorney will be granted to the Kapolei man accused of being a Russian spy.

It comes after Public Defender Max Mizono withdrew as Walter Primrose’s attorney earlier this month, citing a “breakdown” in their relationship.

Primrose and his wife Gwynn Morrison are accused of stealing the identities of dead babies from Texas in the 1980s.

They also were found keeping military maps, coded messages, and kits for invisible ink in their home.

Primrose was able to join the Coast Guard and work for more than 20 years under the alleged false identity before retiring and getting hired as a contractor for the Department of Defense.

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In August, the U.S. government is retracted its statement that Primrose and Morrison were using additional aliases. It was found that two individuals said those “references” were nicknames and the product of inside jokes.

Federal agents also seized the suspected KGB uniform seen in photos worn by the Kapolei couple.

Both Primrose and Morrison have pleaded not guilty to the charges of identity theft, conspiracy to commit crimes against the U.S., and lying on a passport application.

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