DATE=1/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225001
TITLE=UNABOMBER TRIAL (L)
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNABOMBER TRIAL IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA IS ON HOLD
ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE OF A LAST-MINUTE REQUEST BY DEFENDANT THEODORE
KACZYNSKI TO SERVE AS HIS OWN ATTORNEY. AS VOA'S GREG FLAKUS
REPORTS FROM OUR WEST COAST BUREAU IN LOS ANGELES, AT ISSUE IS MR
KACZYNSKI'S MENTAL COMPETENCY.
TEXT: AFTER SENDING THE JURY HOME FOR THE DAY, U-S DISTRICT
JUDGE GARLAND BURRELL, JUNIOR, SCHEDULED A HEARING TO DETERMINE
WHETHER THEODORE KACZYNSKI IS MENTALLY COMPETENT TO SERVE AS HIS
OWN ATTORNEY. MR KACZYNSKI MADE THE REQUEST TO DISMISS HIS
COURT-APPOINTED ATTORNEYS BECAUSE HE OBJECTS TO THEIR STRATEGY OF
PORTRAYING HIM AS MENTALLY ILL.
JUDGE BURRELL QUESTIONED THE TIMING OF MR KACZYNSKI'S REQUEST,
NOTING THAT AS RECENTLY AS WEDNESDAY, THE DEFENDANT HAD INDICATED
THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO SERVE AS HIS OWN ATTORNEY. STILL, THE
JUDGE SUGGESTED THAT HE MIGHT RULE MR KACZYNSKI COMPETENT AND
ALLOW HIM TO REPRESENT HIMSELF.
LEAD DEFENSE ATTORNEY QUIN DENVIR WAS PREPARING A DEFENSE BASED
ON SAVING MR KACZYNSKI FROM THE DEATH PENALTY BY PRESENTING
EVIDENCE THAT HE IS MENTALLY ILL.
JUDGE BURRELL ALSO INDICATED THAT HE MIGHT ORDER DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS TO DROP THAT STRATEGY IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH THE
TRIAL. MR DENVIR, HOWEVER, OBJECTED STRONGLY TO THAT IDEA.
THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK THAT THE UNABOMBER TRIAL HAS
BEEN DISRUPTED BY THE DEFENDANT'S UNEXPECTED REQUESTS. ON
MONDAY, OPENING STATEMENTS WERE DELAYED WHEN MR KACZYNSKI ASKED
FOR PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE COURT. THE HARVARD-EDUCATED
MATHEMATICIAN IS FACING A TEN-COUNT INDICTMENT FOR FOUR BOMBINGS
THAT KILLED TWO MEN IN CALIFORNIA AND MAIMED TWO OTHERS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/GF/KL
08-Jan-98 2:28 PM EST (1928 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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