ORLANDO, Fla. _ Accused cop killer Markeith Loyd on Monday reversed course and told a judge that he now wants a lawyer, but only a specific one from Miami.
For weeks, Loyd had insisted that he wanted to represent himself. He did not want a lawyer, not even a stand-by attorney, someone who would answer his questions and help prepare his case.
On Monday, however, he asked Chief Judge Frederick Lauten to appoint Terry Lenamon, a Miami criminal defense attorney.
"He can do whatever he wants," Loyd told the judge. "He'll take my case."
If Lauten says yes _ something he said he was inclined to do _ he would be bending two local rules.
Typically, indigent defendants can't pick their attorneys; they get the one appointed by the court. Usually it's an assistant public defender. In this case, however, the public defender has a conflict of interest. So does the "conflict counsel," the public law firm that handles criminal cases when the public defender's office has a conflict of interest.
The second rule Lauten may bend for Loyd is one that requires Orange and Osceola county judges to appoint attorneys who live in those two counties.
Lenamon does not.
Last week, despite Loyd's objections, Lauten appointed Orlando attorney Roger Weeden as stand-by counsel.
On Monday Weeden encouraged the judge to appoint Lenamon, someone Loyd's family has talked to. Weeden said he would work with Lenamon on the case.
Lauten made no final decision on Lenamon and set another hearing for April 12, saying he wants the South Florida attorney, as well as other attorneys in the case, to return to talk about scheduling, an exchange of evidence and other matters.
Notably absent from Monday's hearing was State Attorney Aramis Ayala, the elected prosecutor for Orange and Osceola counties.
She had attended the last two hearings and argued at each one, either on her own behalf or through another attorney, that Gov. Rick Scott exceeded his authority when he removed her from the case and appointed Special Prosecutor Brad King, the elected state attorney for Lake and Marion counties.
Scott made the appointment, saying he was outraged that Ayala would not seek the death penalty against Loyd.
Last week Lauten ruled against Ayala, saying the governor's executive order was binding. She's expected to file an appeal.
Today that issue did not come up. King and his lead assistant, Ric Ridgway, represented the state, along with a senior member of Ayala's staff, Ryan Williams.
Also conferring with King was Ayala's second in command, Deborah Barra.
King had earlier made clear that he's willing to include members of Ayala's staff on the prosecution team.
Also notably different Monday was Loyd. At previous hearings, he's been loud, profane, defiant and insulting. He was calm Monday, and was firm but respectful when he spoke to the judge.
He also smiled and waved to members of his family, who sat a few feet away, when he walked into the courtroom and then as he left.
He's accused of murdering Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton in a Wal-Mart parking lot Jan. 9 as she tried to chase him down and arrest him on a murder warrant.
That warrant was for the shooting death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, who was killed Dec. 13.
King has not said what penalty he will seek against Loyd in either case.
