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Gavel to Gavel: Court nixes public defender for Wilkes
Court nixes public defender for Wilkes
By North County Times | ∞
Jailed former defense contractor Brent Wilkes is having trouble raising bail money, but a federal appeals court said Monday that he has enough dough to hire a private attorney to appeal his bribery conviction.
A two-judge panel with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a bid by the former Poway businessman to use court-appointed attorneys at taxpayer expense. They ordered him to hire an attorney, or act as his own counsel, within 21 days.
Wilkes, 53, is serving a 12-year sentence following his conviction last year for bribing former U.S. Rep Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the former North County Republican lawmaker serving time for bribery and tax evasion.
The federal appellate court said in late March that Wilkes had raised sufficient appeal issues that could lead to his conviction being overturned or his sentence reduced and could be allowed to bail out of jail while he fights his case.
Wilkes has remained behind bars, however, unable to raise enough collateral to cover his $2 million bail.
---- Teri Figueroa
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