Repeat DUI Offender Balks At Plea DealDefendant Tells Judge He Wants New AttorneyPOSTED: 1:06 pm HST November 17,
2009 HONOLULU -- A repeat DUI offender accused of killing a man in a hit and run accident was expected to agree to a deal with prosecutors on Tuesday, but instead he asked the judge to dismiss his attorney.Siaosi Feleunga is charged with eight different offenses, including negligent homicide for a hit-and-run accident that killed Lindsey Kane last year. At the time of the accident, Feleunga's was driving with a suspended license.Feleunga said he wanted his public defender, Jerry Villanueva, removed from his case."We get small kind issues. There's some motions that have been asking Mr. Villanueva to file on my behalf and he hasn't been filing them. He's telling me 'You don't have a case,'" Feleunga said.The request was a surprise for his attorney."He is dissatisfied with my services, which he has not discussed with me prior to this. At this point I make the oral motion to withdraw," Villanueva said.The judge granted Feleunga's request and will appoint a new attorney over the next two weeks. However, the judge warned the defendant that he will not be able to ask for another attorney just because he does not like the lawyer.Feleunga remains in prison on $100,000 bail.
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