Murder suspect gets on wrong side of the lawyers

The suspect in a domestic slaying may find it hard getting a lawyer to take his case after losing another due to personal conflict, a judge said yesterday. 

Justice Beth Hughes said any new counsel that considered representing [the accused] will weigh the fact that he has already gone through eight lawyers.  

“If you’re not prepared to take legal advice, you will be acting on your own,” she told Mitchell.

Hughes made the comments after defence lawyers Tonii Roulston and David Chow withdrew because of differences with [the accused].   [the accused] told Hughes he is awaiting word from Legal Aid on whether he can be supplied a lawyer from outside Calgary for his scheduled trial in March. He told Hughes his problems with legal representation stem from his constant moves from the Calgary Remand Centre to other jails, which have restricted his ability to consult.  But the Queen’s Bench judge said other accused persons don’t seem to have the same difficulties.

“Nobody else seems to be going through lawyers like you are,” Hughes said. 
“The ball’s in your court.”

[A] nephew by marriage of former [] is charged with second-degree murder in the Sept. 24, 2005, death of his common-law spouse. [the victim] was stabbed to death inside her Centre A St. N.E. home. [the accused] returns to court Jan. 18 to update Hughes on his progress.