Markeith Loyd Told A Judge He Wants A Specific Lawyer
Cop killer Markeith Loyd made headlines a couple of months back when he first appeared in court and declared he would represent himself. But now things have changed.
In court today Loyd told a judge he now wants a lawyer, a specific one from Miami. He asked Chief Judge Frederick Lauten to appoint Terry Lenamon, a Miami criminal defense attorney, to his case.
“He can do whatever he wants,” Loyd told the judge, per the Orlando Sentinel. “He’ll take my case.”
The request comes after Loyd insisted he would represent himself and not need even a stand-by attorney.
However, there’s a twist. Should Lauten say yes to representing Loyd he would be bending two rules.
Normally defendants can’t hand pick their attorneys, the court will appoint one to them. In most cases it’s an assistant public defender that is appointed to them. In this particular case the public defender has a conflict of interest as does the “conflict counsel,” which handles criminal cases when the public defender’s office has a conflict of interest.
The other rule that Lauten would be breaking by accepting to represent Loyd would be the rule that requires Orange and Osceloa county judges to appoint attorneys who live in one of those two counties.
As stated earlier Lenamon lives in Miami…
However, Orlando attorney Roger Weeden, who was appointed as Loyd’s stand-by counsel despite his objections, encouraged Lauten to appoint Lenamon. Weeden said Loyd’s family had already spoke with Lenamon and that he would work with the Miami attorney on the case.
Lauten has not made a decision on Lenamon and has instead set another hearing for April 12. The Sentinel reported that Lauten wants the Miami attorney, as well as other attorneys in the case, to return to talk about scheduling, evidence and other subject matters.
Loyd is accused of killing Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton when she attempted to chase him down on a murder warrant. He was being sought in the shooting death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, who was killed on Dec. 13.
