Why Abdulmutallab wants new lawyer
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 2009 Christmas Day alleged underwear bomber, may be laying the grounds for an eventual appeal of his terrorism case after he had already pleaded guilty, the Federal Government has said.
Abdulmutallab had on Monday written a letter to the judge complaining about his standby lawyer and asking for a new lawyer in the case which is proceeding on sentencing next month at a United States district court in Detroit.
In the three-page handwritten letter delivered to court from the Milan federal penitentiary where he is being held, Abdulmutallab complained that lawyers appointed to help him defend his case, lied, misled and gave him ineffective legal assistance.
Commenting on this new development, the Nigerian lawyer representing the FG in the matter, Kayode Oladele, said, “I think he is preparing grounds for an appeal should the judge deny his request and proceeds to sentence him accordingly.”
He stated that US Judge Nancy Edmunds was unlikely to grant the request “based on the history of the case and the way the defendant had scuttled attempts to provide him with adequate legal representation earlier in the trial.”
And once the judge denies his request, Oladele added that Abdulmutallab might then proceed to appeal on the grounds of such a denial.
It would be recalled that Abdulmutallab had refused the services of a lawyer last September, preferring instead to plead his own case at which point the judge insisted that a back-up lawyer, Anthony Chambers, be provided for him.
Commenting on the development, Chamber said Abdulmutallab was misguided.
He said, “We have gone above and beyond for him. He’s having regrets over what I would consider a bad decision to plead guilty.”
The alleged terrorist had already pleaded guilty and the court was only left with pronouncing a sentence on January 19, which is expected to be a life sentence according to US lawyers.
Specifically he is now asking the judge for a male, Muslim attorney to help him understand legal issues surrounding his Jan. 19 sentence and even suggested a Muslim lawyer he met through the Federal Defender Office- Dearborn-based Elsayed Mostafa.
“I find there is more understanding when the person is of the same religion,” Abdulmutallab said.
In order to determine his new request, the US Judge has set a hearing for next week January 6.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 2009 Christmas Day alleged underwear bomber, may be laying the grounds for an eventual appeal of his terrorism case after he had already pleaded guilty, the Federal Government has said.
Abdulmutallab had on Monday written a letter to the judge complaining about his standby lawyer and asking for a new lawyer in the case which is proceeding on sentencing next month at a United States district court in Detroit.
In the three-page handwritten letter delivered to court from the Milan federal penitentiary where he is being held, Abdulmutallab complained that lawyers appointed to help him defend his case, lied, misled and gave him ineffective legal assistance.
Commenting on this new development, the Nigerian lawyer representing the FG in the matter, Kayode Oladele, said, “I think he is preparing grounds for an appeal should the judge deny his request and proceeds to sentence him accordingly.”
He stated that US Judge Nancy Edmunds was unlikely to grant the request “based on the history of the case and the way the defendant had scuttled attempts to provide him with adequate legal representation earlier in the trial.”
And once the judge denies his request, Oladele added that Abdulmutallab might then proceed to appeal on the grounds of such a denial.
It would be recalled that Abdulmutallab had refused the services of a lawyer last September, preferring instead to plead his own case at which point the judge insisted that a back-up lawyer, Anthony Chambers, be provided for him.
Commenting on the development, Chamber said Abdulmutallab was misguided.
He said, “We have gone above and beyond for him. He’s having regrets over what I would consider a bad decision to plead guilty.”
The alleged terrorist had already pleaded guilty and the court was only left with pronouncing a sentence on January 19, which is expected to be a life sentence according to US lawyers.
Specifically he is now asking the judge for a male, Muslim attorney to help him understand legal issues surrounding his Jan. 19 sentence and even suggested a Muslim lawyer he met through the Federal Defender Office- Dearborn-based Elsayed Mostafa.
“I find there is more understanding when the person is of the same religion,” Abdulmutallab said.
In order to determine his new request, the US Judge has set a hearing for next week January 6.
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