DURAN TRIAL TO START MARCH 16
WHITE HOUSE SHOOTING SUSPECT'S LAWYER MUM ON INSANITY PLEA
By Toni Locy
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 30, 1994
; Page D05
A federal judge set a March 16 trial date yesterday for Francisco Martin
Duran, the Colorado man accused of trying to kill President Clinton in
October.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Richey told prosecutors and Duran's defense
attorneys that he will adhere to a strict schedule and that he expects the
trial to be completed by March 31. "Two weeks is more than sufficient time,"
Richey said. "This is not a complicated case."
Richey also pressed Duran's lawyer, public defender Leigh Kenny, to reveal
whether she intends to use an insanity defense in the case. Kenny said she
still is not ready to say.
Kenny said there are many witnesses in Colorado and other western states,
as well as Hawaii, that she needs to interview. She said many of them may have
relevant information about Duran's actions before the Oct. 29 shooting attack
on the White House.
Duran, 26, served in the Army in Hawaii before he was sent to prison for
aggravated assault with a vehicle and drunken and disorderly conduct. He was
dishonorably discharged.
Last month, he was arrested by Secret Service agents after he allegedly
opened fire with a Chinese-made semiautomatic rifle on the White House from
Pennsylvania Avenue NW. He was tackled by two tourists as he fumbled with a
clip allegedly in an attempt to reload the weapon.
In addition to the attempted assassination charge, Duran also is accused of
weapon violations, destruction of government property and assaulting four
Secret Service agents by firing at them as they tried to make their way toward
him across the White House lawn.
The judge also postponed ruling on a request by The Washington Post, the
New York Times and NBC to make public a letter allegedly written by Duran that
was found in his truck after the shooting. Richey said he will not rule on the
media request until he has seen the defense motions and the prosecution reply.
Those motions are due Jan. 6 and Jan. 20, respectively.
Prosecutors cited the letter in requesting a mental competence evaluation
of Duran. U.S. Judge Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson reviewed it and then
ordered a brief evaluation this month.
The defense opposes the release of the letter, arguing that it would
infringe on Duran's right to a fair trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Dubelier estimated that the government
would call as many as 25 witnesses at trial. Kenny resisted saying how many
witnesses she would call and instead estimated her case would take a week to
present.
Kenny said the government so far has turned over two large boxes of
evidence to her. They include photographs, videotapes and 2,000 to 2,500
documents, she said.
Articles appear as they were originally printed in The Washington
Post and may not include subsequent corrections.
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