Ex-teacher gets lawyer to fight murder charge
He previously represented himself with the help of a public defender.
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DEFENDANT
John Robert Kastner: The former Webster High School teacher and coach is accused of murdering his wife, former Oklahoma Supreme Court attorney Lori Moon Kastner. She was shot twice in the head June 25 at their Tulsa home. Kastner, who blamed the killing on an intruder, was charged June 27 with first-degree murder.
By BILL BRAUN World Staff Writer
Published: 5/19/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 5/19/2009 3:56 AM
A former Tulsa high school teacher who is charged with murdering his wife now has a private attorney handling his defense to a murder charge.
John Robert Kastner previously was represented by himself and by the Tulsa County Public Defender's Office.
In court Monday, Kastner said he wants Tulsa lawyer John Byrd to represent him.
Byrd indicated that he is taking the case without financial compensation.
Kastner, a former Webster High School teacher and coach who is not a trained attorney, is accused of murdering his wife, former Oklahoma Supreme Court attorney Lori Moon Kastner.
She was shot twice in the head on June 25 at their home in the 3800 block of South Union Avenue.
Kastner, who blamed the killing on an intruder, was charged June 27 with first-degree murder. He maintained that he was indigent, and on July 3 the Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent him.
But at a Dec. 22 hearing, an assistant public defender told District Judge Clancy Smith that Kastner wanted to exercise his right to represent himself.
Kastner did represent himself at a January hearing.
In April, the Public Defender's Office was again assigned to represent Kastner when he decided not to handle his own courtroom legal work.
In a document filed Monday, First Assistant District Attorney Doug Drummond states that Kastner's "indecisive actions and repeated changing of his mind in regard to representation is problematic."
At the
April hearing, Kastner said that he "indeed wanted the public defender to represent him," but two weeks later he "wants a different attorney," Drummond wrote.
Byrd has filed an application for public funds to be used to hire an investigator and subpoena server on Kastner's behalf. Smith will rule on that request.
Kastner's trial is still scheduled for Aug. 17.
Bill Braun 581-8455
bill.braun@tulsaworld.com
By BILL BRAUN World Staff Writer
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