04/28/2014 // West Palm Beach, Florida, US // JusticeNewsFlash // Justice News Flash // (press release)
Portland, Maine – The trial of a man who was stripped of his constitutional right to counsel after allegedly being abusive towards his previous court-appointed attorneys has begun. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), robbery defendant Joshua Nisbet is speculated to be the first criminal defendant in Maine forced to represent himself under this type of circumstance.
Nisbet, 36, was charged with wielding a knife while robbing a convenience store in 2011. He gave a brief statement to the court during the opening of his trial on Monday, and addressed witnesses with the assistance of a stand-by lawyer.
Nisbet, who maintains his innocence in the criminal case, also denies allegations that he threatened to shoot one of his last court appointed lawyers, who withdrew from the case, with a BB gun. He is quoted as stating to the judge prior to jurors arriving, “I am representing myself (over) my objection, and I am only doing this under duress in this crazy situation.”
This report is provided by Justice News Flash – Maine Legal News
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