Father of Accused Killer Says He’ll Hire New Attorney

The adoptive father of accused slayer Timothy Scott Roman said Thursday that if his son’s attorney returns from an illness to continue trying the case, he will take steps to remove the lawyer.

Mike Roman said that his son’s attorney, Chester Leo Smith, was “doing more harm than good” for Timothy Roman, who faces a possible life term in prison if convicted of the Dec. 10, 1986, slaying of his mother, actress Susan Cabot. She was a leading lady in “B” movies during the 1950s.

The 25-year-old defendant has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to a first-degree murder charge.

Mike Roman, who was divorced from Cabot in 1981 after 13 years of marriage, said that Smith’s expertise was in real estate law, not criminal law. “I want Timothy to have a qualified, experienced criminal attorney,” Roman said. “If Chester is not out, I will remove him.”

The elder Roman said he has already talked to two attorneys who have expressed interest in the case. But he declined to comment further on the issue, saying he wanted to wait and see about Smith’s health.

The two-week-old murder trial in Van Nuys Superior Court was continued Wednesday when Smith was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after he experienced chest pains. A hospital spokesman said Thursday that Smith remained in fair condition, but he would not comment on the nature of his illness.

Court officials said the trial is tentatively scheduled to resume Monday.

Unusual Twist

The trial took an unusual twist Tuesday when Smith revealed that Timothy Roman had confessed to police that he killed his mother, evidence that the prosecution had been unable to introduce.

Detective Philip Quartararo testified that Roman told police he hit his mother on the head with a weight-lifting bar in self-defense after she came at him with a scalpel. It was the first time that a witness had testified that Roman admitted the slaying.

But what made Quartararo’s testimony more surprising was that it came during cross-examination by Smith.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Bradford E. Stone said later that Roman’s confession was not used by the prosecution because it was offered after the defendant had asked to speak to an attorney, which under court rulings made it inadmissible.

Smith could not be reached for comment after the proceeding.