MILWAUKEE, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A Milwaukee man, against his court-appointed lawyer's advice, will represent himself against allegations he sexually abused five of his daughters for years.
The defendant, identified by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as E.B. in an effort to shield the identity of the alleged victims, will have the opportunity to cross-examine his daughters despite a string of self-induced legal setbacks and courtroom outbursts, a judge ruled.
Circuit Judge David Borowski, who has presided over the bizarre case, said the result of a court-ordered psychological examination found no medical reason why the 48-year-old defendant couldn't represent himself. He's gone through a string of four court-mandated lawyers, spitting at one of them in court, the Journal Sentinel said.
E.B. faces a 42-count indictment that could land him a 1,000-year prison term if he's convicted and sentenced to the full extent of the law.
Lawyers on both sides of the case agree the defendant lacks the requisite legal knowledge to provide himself adequate defense during the trial. That much was on display Monday, when E.B. told the judge he was displeased with a motion filed on his behalf by his advising counsel, Scott Anderson. The defendant told Borowski he had no idea what it meant and expressed his anger at the motion having been filed.
After that, the defendant was required to sign a waiver stating he was forsaking court-appointed legal assistance prior to his trial. The defendant refused to sign the form, forcing Borowski to read it aloud for the court record and ask the defendant to agree to each point verbally.
