According to the Times Leader... Attorney Demetrius Fannick on Tuesday said prosecutors have an "ulterior motive" for trying to get him removed from defending homicide suspect Harlow Cuadra.
“I simply think they’re raising it because I kicked their ass in the last homicide case I did,” said Fannick, who successfully defended Hugo Selenski on two homicide charges in 2006.
Fannick made the comments in response to a request made earlier Tuesday by Luzerne County prosecutors. The prosecutors said Fannick should be removed from defending Cuadra because Fannick had previously met and spoke with Cuadra's co-defendant, Joseph Kerekes.
The prosecutors say those past meetings with Kerekes create a conflict of interest and could hamper Kerekes' right to a fair trial.
Fannick disagrees. He said if a conflict truly existed, Kerekes and his attorneys, not prosecutors, would be asking for Fannick's removal. Fannick said Cuadra has a "right to hire a lawyer of his choosing."
“I don’t think the DA should be arresting people and then decide who their lawyer is going to be," Fannick said. "I think the DA is just doing it out of spite.”
“I simply think they’re raising it because I kicked their ass in the last homicide case I did,” said Fannick, who successfully defended Hugo Selenski on two homicide charges in 2006.
Fannick made the comments in response to a request made earlier Tuesday by Luzerne County prosecutors. The prosecutors said Fannick should be removed from defending Cuadra because Fannick had previously met and spoke with Cuadra's co-defendant, Joseph Kerekes.
The prosecutors say those past meetings with Kerekes create a conflict of interest and could hamper Kerekes' right to a fair trial.
Fannick disagrees. He said if a conflict truly existed, Kerekes and his attorneys, not prosecutors, would be asking for Fannick's removal. Fannick said Cuadra has a "right to hire a lawyer of his choosing."
“I don’t think the DA should be arresting people and then decide who their lawyer is going to be," Fannick said. "I think the DA is just doing it out of spite.”
