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| Judge Will Rule Tuesday on Sheley Jailhouse Assault Case |
Accused spree killer Nicholas Sheley will hear Tuesday whether or not he can represent himself in his trial on charges stemming from an assault earlier this year in the Knox County Jail.
The 30-year old Sheley filed his formal motion Monday in Knox County Circuit Court seeking to fire Public Defender Jim Harrell, and instead represent himself -- something he tried to do before in this case, but later changed his mind.
Sheley faces charges of Aggraved Battery, Aggravarted Assault, and Criminal Damange to Property after allegedly breaking apart a metal chair and throwing pieces of it at Knox County Jail employees back in Mid-April. He allegedly had been in a maximum security day area and had covered up its windows, at which time the employees ordered Sheley back to his cell.
Judge Stephen Mathers told Sheley that it's important that he understand what could be described as disadvantages to representing himself -- mainly in the area of inexperience.
Sheley also claimed he has wanted to try and talk to private attorneys, but couldn't without Harrell present, because of the court-imposed gag order in his capital murder case in connection to the death of 65-year old Ronald Randall last year. Mathers ruled he could talk to attorneys on his own, but only in regards to the assault case.
Mathers also ruled Monday that the jury will be barred from hearing details about the murder case during the trial on the alleged assault, nor about any other prior acts in the last 10 years, unless Sheley takes the stand in his own defense.
The hearing on the assault case is scheduled for 9:15 am Tuesday.
(Nicholas Sheley. WGIL News File Photo.) |
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| 09 14 09 by Newsroom |
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