Posted on 04/15/2005 6:56:29 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Two well-known public defenders asked Luzerne County Judge Joseph Augello to be removed from representing murder suspect Joseph Gacha Jr.
Attorney William Ruzzo said he felt his reputation was damaged and Attorney Jonathan Blum said he is "disgusted" with Gacha's comments that they have been working with prosecutors to "fabricate a case against" him.
Gacha, 27, is facing the death penalty for alleging killing Carrie Lynn Martin, 20, in her Howard Street, Larksville, apartment during a robbery on May 28, 2004. Prosecutors said Martin was stabbed 47 times.
Gacha submitted a letter he wrote and dated March 28 requesting Ruzzo and Blum to withdraw as his attorneys or petition the court to appoint new lawyers. He repeated his demands directly to Judge Augello on Thursday.
"I don't feel they've done their job to the best of their ability," Gacha said. "I'm not saying it's a conspiracy theory.
"I don't feel comfortable with my life in their hands." Gacha claimed he has asked Ruzzo and Blum for copies and documents related to his case but has only received five or six pages.
"From my standpoint, I have a few questions of my own," Ruzzo said. Ruzzo called Gacha's claim that he and Blum are fabricating a case against a "blatant lie" and felt his reputation was harmed.
He further said he has been working diligently on the case, has spoken to Gacha several times, and has met with and hired defense experts.
"Mr. Gacha wants us out, we want out, the district attorney wants us out," Blum said. "Quite frankly, I'm disgusted with Mr. Gacha."
Judge Augello is expected to rule at a later date whether to release Ruzzo and Blum from representing Gacha. If Ruzzo and Blum are permitted to withdraw, it may settle an appeal prosecutors filed with the state Superior Court to disqualify the two defense lawyers.
Luzerne County assistant district attorneys William T. Finnegan, Jarrett J. Ferentino and Robert Trichilo alleged their representation of Gacha is a conflict because they had previously represented co-defendant Joseph Kukucka. Kukucka, 26, killed himself July 22 while imprisoned at the county correctional facility.
Prior to his suicide, Gacha was represented by court-appointed conflict lawyers Mark Bufalino and Paul Galante. The public defender's office could not represent both suspects because of their alleged involvement in the same crime.
After Kukucka killed himself, Bufalino and Galante were permitted by Judge Augello to remove themselves from representing Gacha.
In turn, Ruzzo and Blum were reappointed to defend Gacha. Prosecutors alleged Kukucka and Gacha had expressed hostile defenses, with each claiming that the other was responsible for Martin's murder.
""I don't feel comfortable with my life in their hands." Gacha claimed "
And I'm sure Carrie Lynn Martin felt completely at ease when Gacha robbed her and stabbed her not once, or twice, or even three times - forty-seven times! Gacha should be so lucky that he's alive now. I hope he gets the chair.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.