Sentencing of Edwards Delayed : Child Killer Asks to Talk to Public Defender He Fired

Convicted child killer Thomas Edwards, who has represented himself in court, asked for a postponement Friday, just before he was to be sentenced to die or to serve life without parole, so he could talk with Assistant Public Defender Michael Giannini.

It was the second time Edwards, who has said he wants to die, asked for a postponement to talk to Giannini. The first was a month ago, when the judge asked Edwards if he wanted to present a defense during the new penalty phase of his trial.

Giannini arrived later Friday to speak with Edwards, but Superior Court Judge James F. Judge postponed the sentencing until July 29 to give the two men more time to talk.

Giannini is the attorney Edwards fired last year.

Has Represented Himself

Edwards has represented himself since shortly after his first-degree murder conviction for the 1981 shooting death of 12-year-old Vanessa Iberri of Lake Elsinore at a campground in Cleveland National Forest. He was also convicted of attempted murder of her friend, 12-year-old Kelly Cartier, also of Lake Elsinore. The Cartier girl received a serious head wound but recovered to testify against Edwards.

Jurors at Edwards’ first trial could not agree whether to sentence him to death or life without parole, which forced a new penalty trial.

Edwards has told friends since his first trial that he wants to die for what he did to the two girls.

Edwards told the court before his second penalty trial that he did not want Giannini or anyone else in the public defender’s office to save him. Edwards asked Judge to sentence him to death without a penalty trial, but Judge refused.

Asked No Questions

At the second penalty trial, Edwards was without counsel, refused to cross-examine witnesses, asked no questions during jury selection, and--after that first talk with Giannini--put on no defense. Jurors decided after two days that he deserved the death penalty.

Giannini said last month he hoped Edwards would ask for an attorney from the public defender’s office before sentencing.

So far, Edwards has not asked the court for an attorney. But Giannini said that he will know better after Monday’s proceedings what Edwards wants to do.

“Right now, all I can say is that Mr. Edwards wants more time to think and reflect on matters,” Giannini said.

But he added that if his office represents Edwards again, “It will mean an all-out effort on our part.”

Continuance Unopposed

“If he just wants us to hold his hand to help him through the sentencing, then no; that’s not what we’re here for,” Giannini said. “If we go back on the case, it will be to do everything possible to save his life.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. John Conley did not oppose the continuance, although it apparently was frustrating to family and friends of the Iberri girl who wanted the case to end Friday.

“In a case like this, you don’t rush” a defendant representing himself, Conley said. “If he wants time to think and consult, that’s fine.”

A close friend of Edwards, Shirley Pizzuto of Garden Grove, said his request for a postponement was “a prayer answered.” But Pizzuto said she does not believe it means Edwards has changed his mind about wanting to die.