"Grim Sleeper" suspect Lonnie Franklin, Jr. will get a new lawyer who says she will work for free.
It appears the publicity and notoriety that will be generated by defending one of America's most notorious mass murder suspects in recent generations is enough for attorney Louisa Pensanti to represent Franklin.
Franklin is facing 10 murder counts and one count of attempted murder after his July arrest. Authorities used DNA evidence to link him to a string of murders in Los Angeles.
Franklin, a former city garbage worker, got the name Grim Sleeper from authorities because they believe his killings occurred in two murder sprees separated by 14 years. The first occurred from 1985 to 1988 and the second from 2002 to 2007, according to prosecutors.
There isn't a lot of information available about the Los Angles-based Pensanti. She didn't answer reporters' questions after the hearing.
On the avvo.com legal rating Website, one review of Pensanti's legal services by someone who goes by the name "Brian's Wife" is less than complimentary for the legal work she provided. The review said Pensanti and her staff were unprofessional.
"If your [sic] looking for a cheap lawyer that's exactly what your gonna get!!" the reviewer wrote.
The only other review posted said Pensanti and her firm were very knowledgeable.
The old truism of you get what you pay for rang through my head when I first read this story. It's hard to imagine Franklin getting a top-flight defense from this publicity seeker, but will it be any worse than what he'd receive from an overworked public defender in Los Angeles County?
The bottom line is that the legal system, as with most other things in life, is built on money. If you have it, you can by a good defense. If you don't, cross your fingers and hope your legal representative will do a good job.
Franklin was apprehended using a controversial DNA technique that linked him to the crime through a relative. Perhaps Pensanti sees an avenue to acquittal by attacking the DNA evidence.
Just one thing is certain at this point, the Grim Sleeper murder trial should be interesting.
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