FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) - A judge has rejected an attempt by a New Jersey man accused of raping and killing his 11-year-old neighbor to dismiss his public defenders.
The Asbury Park Press reports 20-year-old Andreas Erazo told a judge Friday that his current counsel “lied” to him “repeatedly.”
Superior Court Judge David Bauman says Erazo did not show sufficient cause for a new attorney.
Bauman says while the Constitution guarantees a defendant a right to an attorney, it doesn’t guarantee the right to the attorney of their choice.
Erazo is charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault and other counts in the July 2017 slaying of Abbiegail Smith. He has pleaded not guilty.
Smith’s body was found on a rooftop of the apartment building where both she and Erazo lived in Keansburg.
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Information from: Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, http://www.app.com
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