ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The defense attorney for a man accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and a Florida police officer has withdrawn from the case.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Roger Weeden stepped down Friday as Markeith Loyd’s lead attorney.
Weeden told the judge there was a misunderstanding when he was appointed. Procedural rules require lead counsel to have tried at least two death penalty cases as co-counsel, but Weeden had only tried one case twice because it ended with a mistrial the first time. He said he didn’t want to create grounds for appeal later.
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Loyd asked to be represented by high-priced Miami attorney Terence Lenamon, but the judge told Loyd he doesn’t get to pick his lawyer when taxpayers are paying for his defense.
Authorities say Loyd killed Sade Dixon in December 2016, and then gunned down Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton while she was trying to arrest him.
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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
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