Klvana May Represent Himself, Judge Rules

A judge ruled Friday that a Valencia obstetrician charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of newborn babies in his care will be allowed to represent himself in the case.

Milos Klvana, 47, is charged with six counts of second-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter, along with other felony charges including insurance fraud and perjury. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Judith C. Chirlin granted his request to represent himself, relieving court-appointed attorneys Richard A. Leonard and Rita-Jane Baird.

Leonard predicted later that Klvana will ask that his attorneys be reappointed.

“It’s just a question of time, because logistically he’s got 55 boxes of materials,” Leonard said.

Klvana and his assistant, midwife Delores Doyle, 35, of Montclair, were charged in 1986. Doyle is awaiting trial on charges including two counts of murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors allege that Klvana and Doyle failed to recognize or deal with common complications of pregnancy that arose during the out-of-hospital births they performed. After some babies were born with respiratory and other fundamental problems, Klvana told parents there was nothing to worry about when the newborns were in dire need of medical care, the prosecution alleges.

Lawyers for Klvana and Doyle have asserted that the medical care they provided was not below standards of most doctors.

Klvana is being held in County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail.