Fla. Lawyer Fires Back at Judge After Ineffective Assistance Ruling
Apparently stung by a Florida judge’s finding Monday that his client deserves a new murder trial because of ineffective assistance of counsel, a Tampa lawyer has fired back at the judge who made the ruling.
Attributing the ineffective assistance finding by Circuit Judge William Fuente to a desire to embarrass him, attorney Byron Christopher, 30, says he feels “railroaded” and complains that the judge’s treatment of him, including denying every objection he made, hurt his case, reports the St. Petersburg Times.
“Fuente noted in his order that Christopher told jurors he had spent less than five minutes reviewing [Donald] Rolon’s testimony before putting him on the witness stand. Christopher said he did so to show jurors that Rolon hadn’t been coached into what to say,” the newspaper recounts.
Christopher says he tried to withdraw from representing Rolon, apparently before trial, after his client paid only 25 percent of his legal defense fees, the article continues. However, Circuit Judge Ronald Ficcarotta denied his motion to do so.
Had he been paid in full, Christopher tells the newspaper, he would have presented expert witness testimony. He says he gave “110 percent” to the case.
The Florida Bar Association is now investigating the matter, the Times reports.
More details about the Rolon case are provided in another St. Petersburg Times article.
Updated at 5:40 p.m. on Dec. 18 to include link to additional St. Petersburg Times coverage.
