LAFAYETTE, La. — The lead defense attorney representing the man accused of gunning down a Lafayette Police officer has been removed as legal counsel.
Court record show that Stephen Singer, who has been representing Ian Paul Howard, has been terminated from the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, which is a non-profit organization that contracts with the Louisiana Public Defender Board to provide legal representation to indigent defenders in capital trials.
According to a motion filed on May 26, LCAC is requesting 15th Judicial District Judge Jules Edwards to determine who will represent Howard in the capital case after Singer's departure.
Records state that Howard signed a retaining contract with Singer as counsel and LCAC wants the court to allow it to withdraw from the case if the court accepts Howard's decision to have Singer retained as his legal counsel.
Howard, 30, has two pending cases against him: a first-degree murder case in the Oct. 1, 2017 shooting death of Lafayette Cpl. Michael Middlebrook - for which prosecutors intend to pursue the death penalty - and in a separate case, three charges of attempted first-degree murder that involve the other alleged victims.
A hearing is set to determine Howard's representation is set for June 8 at the Lafayette Parish Courthouse.
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