DENVER (AP) — It's unclear whether John Mark Karr will have a legal "dream team" to defend himself against murder charges in the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey. But he will probably receive a skilled attorney even if he cannot hire his own.
Unlike in many states, Colorado's public defender system is well-funded and well-respected for its work on complicated cases involving DNA evidence. Legal experts say any attorney considering an offer of representing Karr for free in hopes of cashing in on the publicity should think hard.
"This is a case that is going to eat up your life," veteran defense attorney Jeralyn Merritt said.
Karr, 41, was arrested last week in Thailand on a murder warrant. He waived extradition to Colorado yesterday during a hearing in Los Angeles and is expected to be sent to Boulder in a matter of days.
Karr has already made life difficult for his legal team.
In Thailand, he told reporters he was with the 6-year-old girl - whose body was found Dec. 26, 1996, in the basement of her Boulder home - when she died, and that her slaying was an accident. Asked if he was innocent, he said no.
Then, according to e-mails he exchanged for several years with a University of Colorado professor, Karr called the little girl his love, and he seemed pained by the "darkness" separating them.
Also, a California woman exchanged e-mails and recorded hours of phone conversations with Karr in which he described his fascination with the slaying of JonBenet.
The possibility of defending a man who has already told reporters he is guilty probably won't scare off attorneys, experts said.
There always will be lawyers willing to set aside their other work and personal time to represent a high-profile defendant with publicity as their only compensation, said Larry Pozner, past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
The charges against John Mark Karr include:
First-degree murder
Felony murder
First-degree kidnapping
Second-degree kidnapping
Sexual assault on a child
See Crime Library Feature Story on JonBenet Ramsey Case
JonBenet Ramsey / John Karr Full Coverage
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