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September 04, 2006
John Mark Karr Hires New Lawyer In Child Porn Case
John Mark Karr, exonerated as a suspect in the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, has asked a San Francisco lawyer to represent him as he awaits extradition to California to face child pornography charges.
Robert M. Amparan is set to appear Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court to officially take over Karr's defense from the public defender's office, which has represented Karr in the case since it was first brought in 2001.
A Boulder, Colo., judge last week ordered Karr sent to Sonoma County to face five misdemeanor counts of child pornography possession after the Boulder County District Attorney said he would not be charged in JonBenet's murder.
Karr fled in 2001 before he could face trial on the child porn charges and did not resurface until Thai authorities arrested him last month on suspicion of killing the six-year-old Ramsey.
Boulder and Sonoma authorities have not said when Karr would return to California. For now, the 41-year-old teacher is being held in the Boulder jail awaiting extradition, which must occur by Sept. 13.
Amparan, a one-time San Francisco public defender, said he did not know when Karr was scheduled to arrive. Whatever the status of Karr's whereabouts, he would not likely be present at the Tuesday hearing, Amparan said.
"I hope that people will keep an open mind and remember that we don't have thought police and that a person is presumed innocent," Amparan said. Karr pleaded not guilty in 2001 to all five counts.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/15427430.htm
Posted by Nealus at September 4, 2006 11:33 AM
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