CA Judge Dismisses Overbooked Attorney
On his own motion, a California judge has dismissed one of the lawyers representing a defendant in a death penalty case, after the attorney said he isn’t ready for trial.
Characterizing Norman Kallen, who reportedly is also representing defendants in two other death penalty cases, as overcommitted, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Pounders this morning removed him as defense counsel for Juan Manuel Alvarez, even though the client has not expressed any dissatisfaction, reports the Los Angeles Times.
“The public is interested in knowing, hundreds of people want to know,” said Pounders, referring to the as-yet-undetermined outcome of the prosecution. “I’ve reached the end of my rope.”
Another defense lawyer, Michael Belter, will continue to represent Alvarez, and a new lawyer is soon to be appointed. Alvarez is being tried for murder and arson, for leaving his Jeep on commuter railroad tracks near Glendale in early 2005, causing a train accident that killed 11 people, according to the Times and the Associated Press. Originally thought to be a suicide attempt, the incident has since been described by police as an intentional effort to cause the train crash.
A class action concerning the accident is being pursued against the operators of the Metrolink transit system, as discussed in a recent Burbank Leader article.
