State to pay for defense in police killing
Saturday, February 05, 2005
CHANDA TEMPLE
News staff writer
Attorneys hired to defend Nathaniel Woods, one of two men accused of killing three Birmingham police officers last summer, will now be paid by the state.
Circuit Judge Tommy Nail granted a defense request Friday that Cynthia Umstead and Rita Briles, who were hired last year, be appointed to the case because Woods' family was unable to mortgage some property and couldn't pay the contract.
Umstead declined to say how much the family has already paid but said it falls far short of what's needed to defend a capital murder case.
Friday's motion was one of 14 pretrial motions Nail addressed, including requests for a jury questionnaire, maintaining openness between the defense and prosecutor about information in the case, and the defense's ability to inspect and examine all physical evidence.
Woods' trial is scheduled June 13. Co-defendant Kerry Spencer, who police say confessed to the killing, is set for trial April 18.
Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.
The men are accused of killing Carlos "Curly" Owen, 58; Charles Bennett, 33; and Harley Chisholm III, 40. A fourth officer, Michael Collins, was shot at but not injured.
The officers were killed June 17 at an Ensley apartment where a witness has said the men sold drugs.
Woods, 28, and Spencer, 24, each face four counts of capital murder, three counts for each of the officers' deaths and one count for causing the death of two or more people at one time. They also face one count of attempted murder involving the fourth officer who survived.
Both men have pleaded not guilty. Spencer has court-appointed attorneys.
