The Times Leader is reporting that homicide suspect Harlow Cuadra will get new attorneys and a new trial date.
A judge on Thursday granted a prosecution request to remove attorneys from the public defender’s office from defending Cuadra.
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. appointed attorneys Paul Galante, Stephen Menn and Michael Senape to defend Cuadra.
They are part of a group of attorneys called conflict counsel, which are publicly funded attorneys outside the public defender’s office.
The judge also postponed the trial in the case indefinitely.
Cuadra, 26, and Joseph Kerekes, 33, both of Virginia, are charged with homicide in the January 2007 slaying of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis inside his Dallas Township home. Investigators claim the two men killed Kocis, their rival in the gay porn industry, inside his home and then set the house on fire.
Kocis, 44, was found dead by firefighters.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cuadra and Kerekes.
They also wanted public defenders William Ruzzo and John Donovan removed from defending Cuadra because two other public defenders might be called as witnesses in the homicide trial.
That would create a conflict of interest, assistant district attorneys Mike Melnick, Tim Doherty, Shannon Crake and William Dunn said.
Olszewski on Thursday ordered Cuadra’s new attorneys to meet with Ruzzo and Donovan within seven days to discuss Cuadra’s case and exchange evidence. Kerekes is also represented by conflict counsel.
The judge initially set jury selection to begin March 24. But Cuadra’s public defenders had said they would need more time to prepare for trial.
Olszewski, in his order, said “trial in the within matter” is postponed until further order of the court.
The judge also gave prosecutors permission to amend the wording in criminal conspiracy to commit arson charges filed against the men.
A hearing is set for Jan. 30 to discuss a number of issues: whether Kerekes’ charges should be tossed; whether prosecutors have to reveal which suspect they believe is the principal killer; and whether Cuadra should be transferred from the Lackawanna County Prison to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
A judge on Thursday granted a prosecution request to remove attorneys from the public defender’s office from defending Cuadra.
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. appointed attorneys Paul Galante, Stephen Menn and Michael Senape to defend Cuadra.
They are part of a group of attorneys called conflict counsel, which are publicly funded attorneys outside the public defender’s office.
The judge also postponed the trial in the case indefinitely.
Cuadra, 26, and Joseph Kerekes, 33, both of Virginia, are charged with homicide in the January 2007 slaying of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis inside his Dallas Township home. Investigators claim the two men killed Kocis, their rival in the gay porn industry, inside his home and then set the house on fire.
Kocis, 44, was found dead by firefighters.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cuadra and Kerekes.
They also wanted public defenders William Ruzzo and John Donovan removed from defending Cuadra because two other public defenders might be called as witnesses in the homicide trial.
That would create a conflict of interest, assistant district attorneys Mike Melnick, Tim Doherty, Shannon Crake and William Dunn said.
Olszewski on Thursday ordered Cuadra’s new attorneys to meet with Ruzzo and Donovan within seven days to discuss Cuadra’s case and exchange evidence. Kerekes is also represented by conflict counsel.
The judge initially set jury selection to begin March 24. But Cuadra’s public defenders had said they would need more time to prepare for trial.
Olszewski, in his order, said “trial in the within matter” is postponed until further order of the court.
The judge also gave prosecutors permission to amend the wording in criminal conspiracy to commit arson charges filed against the men.
A hearing is set for Jan. 30 to discuss a number of issues: whether Kerekes’ charges should be tossed; whether prosecutors have to reveal which suspect they believe is the principal killer; and whether Cuadra should be transferred from the Lackawanna County Prison to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
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Interestingly, Menn and Galante are currently dealing with another DP case in Luzerne County.
