Laron Carlton Graham appears in Juneau Superior Court on March 6, 2018. (Photo by Matt Miller/KTOO)
A Juneau man charged with double homicide wants to get rid of his attorney only months before his trial.
Laron Carlton Graham, 41, said in court on Wednesday that it’s because of irreconcilable differences.
Graham has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Robert Meireis, 36, and Elizabeth Tonsmeire, 34. They were found shot to death in a West Juneau apartment in November 2015.
A grand jury indicted Graham in February 2018.
Natasha Norris, a private Anchorage-based attorney, was initially appointed to represent Graham on behalf of the state’s Office of Public Advocacy. But Graham wasn’t happy with her.
“As far as I’m concerned, she’s fired,” Graham said.
Norris did not attend the hearing which was video-conferenced between Anchorage and Juneau courtrooms. Graham is currently serving time for previous convictions at an Anchorage-area correctional facility.
Graham expressed impatience with Norris’ preparation for trial. It was earlier scheduled for February and now has been rescheduled for Aug. 19.
He also openly challenged the validity of the indictments and sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence.
During a special closed hearing next Thursday, Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg will either require Norris to continue representing Graham, terminate her and appoint a new attorney, or allow Graham to represent himself.
Recent headlines
Alaska DOT considering proposal for Berners Bay ferry terminal
Records show state officials are exploring adding a second Juneau ferry terminal 30 miles north of the Auke Bay terminal to shorten travel time.
Fairbanks mayor hires city’s first female police chief
Anchorage police Lt. Nancy Reeder has accepted Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly’s offer to serve as the city’s new police chief.
Alaskans greet Mueller report with shrugs, nods and dismay
Alaska Public Media went to a Fred Meyer parking lot in Midtown Anchorage to ask Alaskans what they think of the Mueller report.
Facing declining enrollment, Harborview could lose a teacher next school year
The Juneau School District allocates teachers to each school based on an ideal student-to-teacher ratio. For Harborview, a shift would likely mean class sizes of up to 30 students.
