James Biela Denied New Attorney; Storms Out of Courtroom
RENO - The man accused of raping and killing 19-year-old Brianna Denison stormed out of a courtroom Thursday after a judge denied his request for new lawyers.
27-year-old James Biela asked Judge Robert Perry for new public defense, saying he's "unhappy" with the attorneys assigned to him.
Judge Perry denied the request, saying that James Biela is not entitled to just pick and choose who defends him.
Biela entered the courtroom, looking much thinner after spending the past three months in jail. The accused killer and rapist was forced to sit down right next to the two attorneys he's asking to have replaced.
Currently, Biela is being represented by Richard Davies and Jay Slocum, both assigned to him through the Washoe County Public Defender's office.
Perry says Biela wrote him two letters in early March, both of them describing conflicts between himself and his two attorneys. However, lead defense counsel, Richard Davies says he's met with his client on numerous occasions and is preparing himself to defend Biela during the trial scheduled for February of 2010.
After Perry's ruling, Biela left the courtroom muttering under his breath and even slamming his handcuffs against his body, visibly angry about the judge's decision.
Perry defended his choice, saying under case law, a defendant must stay with the lawyer appointed to him, unless there are irreconcilable differences and conflicts that would not give the defendant fair representation. Perry says he feels Biela's attorneys are doing a "good job" defending him.
Perry did say that it is James Biela's right to make another request for a different attorney at any point in the future, but that if he did so, it could mean a delay in the upcoming trial.
Biela will be back in court on April 17th.
Source: KOLOtv.com - Link
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