Man's Denial Of Public Offender Was Justified

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Man's Denial Of Public Offender Was Justified

By KBJR News 1

Story Published: May 15, 2008 at 5:20 AM CDT

Story Updated: May 15, 2008 at 5:22 AM CDT

Punch your public defender in court and you're on your own, that's the message the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent a Chisholm man on Tuesday.

According to our partners at the Mesabi Daily News William Edwin Lehman Jr. pummeled attorney Mark Groettum in a Hibbing courtroom during his July 2006 trial on felony assault.

Lehman challenged a decision to deny his right to court-appointed counsel and a decision to shackle him for the rest of the trial.

The three-judge appeals panel says the district court did not abuse its power by denying Lehman a new public defender.

They also say it was justified to shackle Lehman and say a separate hearing wasn’t necessary because Lehman punched his attorney in front of the judge and jury.

Thursday, May 15 at 10:10 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Note to headline/copy editor: It's Public Defender, not Public Offender.

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