Despite Waivers, Calif. Defense Lawyer is Conflicted Out of Triple Murder Case
A California lawyer who represented two reputed gang members in related criminal cases is conflicted out of continuing to defend one of them in a triple-murder prosecution, even though both clients gave him written waivers, a judge has ruled.
Although defendant Edwin Ramos, 22, said he wanted to keep Robert Amparan as his lead lawyer, the fact that Amparan also represents Douglas Largaespada, who is to scheduled to testify against Ramos at trial, is a fatal conflict, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Teri Jackson has decided. She dismissed Amparan from the case today, reports KTVU. The two men are both reputed members of the MS-13 gang.
“Jackson said Amparan could not properly represent Ramos because of his prior relationship with Largaespada, which would prevent him from cross-examining Largaespada on the stand,” the station explains, even though both men have signed written waivers of the conflict of interest.
Amparan is expected to appeal the judge’s recusal decision.
Additional details are provided in an earlier CBS 5 article about the case.
