Attorney for Lucas Will Have Co-Counsel in Multiple Murder Trial

Accused multiple murderer David A. Lucas’ legal problems took another unusual twist Tuesday when G. Anthony Gilham, who is defending Lucas against three of the six murder charges, said he will be assisted by one, and possibly two, attorneys.

Talking to reporters after a hearing Tuesday before Superior Court Judge Barbara Gamer, Gilham said that he will be assisted by an attorney who could not be named because the lawyer has not formally agreed to take the case.

“I have an assistant now. The question will be whether I get another assistant. We don’t have a commitment yet from one lawyer whom we’ve asked to help out, so I can’t give you any names,” Gilham said.

Gilham also denied persistent rumors that he was on the verge of quitting the case or being removed as Lucas’ lawyer. In the last two weeks, three judges have expressed concern about Gilham’s behavior while representing Lucas, 29, and another client.

The attorney missed three court appearances on Lucas’ behalf in two days. On another occasion, Gilham, representing another client, left the courtroom 10 minutes before his case was called. When he returned five hours later, Presiding Municipal Court Judge Fred L. Link found him in contempt of court. The charge, however, was dropped when Gilham apologized to the court.

On April 6, sheriff’s deputies responded to Gilham’s home in El Cajon when they received a call that someone had fired a shotgun inside the house. Gilham was not home when deputies arrived, and no arrests were made.

“I’m still on the case. Don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers; I have no intention of stepping down,” Gilham said.

It remained unclear Tuesday whether Gilham requested the additional help in defending Lucas or was ordered by Gamer to seek assistance. Gilham refused to say, and Gamer said she was precluded by the judicial code of ethics from commenting.

What is known is that Gamer asked defense attorney Robert Grimes to attend Tuesday’s hearing and act as Lucas’ attorney at that hearing if Gilham failed to appear.

“I was asked to be here because of the questions raised by the publicity about Tony,” Grimes said. “I was asked by Judge Gamer to appear and advise the client in the event that Tony was not able to make the hearing.”

Grimes said he was in court merely as a courtesy and has no intention of representing Lucas. He also stressed that Gilham has not been found unqualified to represent Lucas.

Gilham, Grimes and Robert Boyce, another defense lawyer, met with Gamer in her chambers before Tuesday’s hearing. Boyce said he was in court only to help Gilham but declined to say whether he has been asked to act as co-counsel.

After the 30-minute meeting in her chambers, Gamer scheduled a hearing for Tuesday at which Lucas’ attorneys are expected to argue more motions before Gamer announces a trial date.

Gilham is defending Lucas on charges that he murdered University of San Diego honor student Anne Catherine Swanke, 22, on Nov. 20. He is charged in the same case with murdering Rhonda Strang, 24, and Amber Fisher, the 3-year-old child Strang was babysitting, on Oct. 23 in Strang’s Lakeside home; and with the attempted murder of Jody Santiago, 29, of Seattle on June 9.

Lucas also is awaiting trial on three other counts of murder. Public defender William B. Saunders is defending Lucas in that case. Lucas is charged with killing Suzanne Camille Jacobs, 31, and her son, Colin, 3, in May, 1979, in their Normal Heights home. He also is charged with killing Gayle R. Garcia in Spring Valley in December, 1981.