The attorney for the man accused of the murder of a Penn State senior in June appealed a county judge's decision to uphold a search warrant for financial documents regarding her client Friday.

But Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira, despite complaints from area defense lawyers, is confident the search warrant validated by a judge last Tuesday will stand.

Defendant LaVon Chisley, 23, was arrested last Tuesday on first- and third-degree murder charges for his alleged role in Langston Carraway's murder. Carraway, 26, was killed at his residence, 110 Northbrook Lane, where police said he was found with 93 stab and slash wounds.

Chisley's lawyer, Karen Muir, argued at a hearing last Tuesday to bar the warrant's approval, referring to it as a "fishing expedition" by the Commonwealth and a violation of attorney-client privileges.

However, Centre County President Judge Charles C. Brown approved the search warrant after he said the financial documents sought were not confidential communication and were relevant to the murder investigation because they pertain to the alleged motive of robbery.

Police retrieved Chisley's financial records from Muir after court approval. Muir did not return phone calls by press time yesterday.

The ruling on the appeal will affect whether the financial records will be admissible in trial, Madeira said.

Madeira said he is not concerned about the appeal because the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled in the past that client's financial records relevant to a crime are not protected by the attorney-client privilege.

"The noise [Muir] is making has much to do about nothing," Madeira said. "

Madeira would not comment on the records' contents.

"Muir is not the only individual that we believe Chisley owed money to," he said. "She's one of them though, and it would be irresponsible not to get that information from her."

The search warrant names several parties to which authorities believe Chisley is indebted, including sports agents, a dog breeder, a tattoo artist, an ex-girlfriend, a roommate and Centre County for various fines. The money being claimed as unpaid by these parties adds up to about $51,475, according to court documents. Since the appeal is related to evidence concerning motive, which will be necessary for trial, Madeira said the preliminary hearing will proceed at 9 a.m. Friday at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.