by hmm » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:48 am
A update is long overdue,<br>this to me seems the most important update..<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/13672906.htm">www.mercurynews.com/mld/m...672906.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><br>Horowitz removed as Susan Polk's attorney in murder trial<br>Bay City News Service<br><br>MARTINEZ - A judge today removed high-profile defense lawyer Daniel Horowitz from the murder case of Susan Polk after he said he had a conflict of interest.<br><br>The ruling by Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Laurel Brady means that Polk, a 47-year-old Orinda woman, will defend herself when her trial begins on Jan. 31. She is accused of killing her husband, 70-year-old psychotherapist Felix Polk, in October 2002.<br><br>Susan Polk, who has fired three other attorneys who have represented her, said recently that she wanted Horowitz and co-counsel Ivan Golde off her case.<br><br>Horowitz beat her to the punch today by telling the judge that he would have ``a direct conflict'' in continuing to defend Polk, based on what he described as ``public statements by her out of the courtroom.''<br><br>Horowitz apparently was referring to Polk's statements to reporters that she believes Horowitz might have been involved in the October murder of his wife, 52-year-old Pamela Vitale. Vitale was found bludgeoned to death in the couple's Lafayette home.<br><br>Horowitz said that in order to respond to Polk's allegations, he would have to `divulge attorney-client privileged matters.''<br><br>Brady then removed Horowitz and Golde from the case, citing the actual conflict of interest as well as a potential conflict of interest: <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>the fact that the same investigators and pathologists who worked on Vitale's homicide also worked on the homicide of Felix Polk.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>Susan Polk is scheduled to be back in court Tuesday morning for a readiness hearing.<br><br>After today's hearing, Polk's mother, 72-year-old Helen Bolling said, ``I'm not happy at all'' about Horowitz being removed from the case.<br><br>Bolling said of her daughter, ``I think she's making a terrible mistake.''<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>This seems to confirm speculation at the time that the murder of pam vitale would derail horowitz's defense of polk... <p></p><i></i>
