Montco Man Charged With Murdering Infant and Grandmother Wants To Defend Himself
By Brad Segall
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) -- The Upper Merion, Pa. man accused of murdering a grandmother and her infant granddaughter during what prosecutors say was a botched kidnapping last year in King of Prussia wants to shake up his legal representation as the case moves closer to a trial date.
Raghu Yandamuri has sent a number of communications to his attorneys, the judge, and even the district attorney's office. But the judge says the two motions filed earlier this week are the most serious.
Yandamuri, 27, wants to fire his legal team and represent himself in court.
Defense attorney Steve Heckman says the judge is taking Yandamuri's request under advisement and may schedule a hearing in the future.
"As of right now and continuing on, Mr. (Henry) Hilles and I still represent Mr. Yandamuri, and we will be fighting for him as we always have to the best of our ability," Heckman told KYW Newsradio this morning.
Yandamuri is accused of killing ten-month-old Saanvi Venna and her grandmother in October 2012 (see related story). If convicted of first-degree murder, he would face the death penalty.
In a recent interview to an Indian news agency, he complained about his attorneys and blamed the murders on two men he says broke into the apartment.
