Cedar Rapids Weather
CR Landlord Wants to Fire Attorney, Represent HimselfBy Trish MehaffeyRelated Content
CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids landlord Robert Miell, who was convicted of tax and mail fraud last year, wants to fire another attorney.
Miell, 55, filed a motion this week in U.S. District Court to dismiss his Des Moines attorney Alfredo Parrish, who took over his case in November, due to ineffective assistance of counsel. Parrish is Miell’s 10th lawyer involved in this case since 2008. Miell pleaded guilty in federal court to 18 counts of mail fraud and two counts of perjury, and was convicted by a jury of two counts of tax fraud in January 2009. The charges stem from Miell fraudulently reporting more than $336,000 in storm damage on 145 properties to American Family Insurance. His sentencing hearing was continued from last September to June 7, but a few months ago Miell filed a motion to withdraw his guilty pleas. A hearing was held in March and Judge Mark Bennett said he will make a written ruling sometime in May. Miell now claims in the motion Parrish refused to let him testify by intimidating him about his mother, and he failed to enter Miell’s evidence and witnesses at the March hearing, according to the motion. Miell said he didn’t know about the hearing until the day before, Parrish didn’t return 50 phone calls made to him since the hearing and he tried to make Miell accept a plea deal offered by the government. A hearing on the motion is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday in U. S. District Court. Miell remains in the Iowa County Jail. More Good Stuff |
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