PORT ANGELES — A 23-year-old Port Angeles man charged with choking a developmentally disabled woman to death last October has a new trial date.
Kevin A. Bradfield will be tried with first-degree murder for the death of 27-year-old Jennifer Pimentel on Nov. 5, it was decided at hearing in Clallam County Superior Court on Friday.
He is accused of strangling Pimentel, an acquaintance, at his girlfriend’s Port Angeles residence and hiding her body in the woods near the Hood Canal Bridge.
Bradfield was originally charged with second-degree murder, but Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ann Lundwall increased the severity of the charge after a jail staffer intercepted a letter that “indicated that Bradfield had planned to murder Pimentel to prevent her from accusing Bradfield of rape,” court documents said.
Bradfield is being held in the Clallam County jail on $1 million bond.
Loren Oakley of Clallam Public Defender is representing Bradfield.
Bradfield told Clallam County Superior Court Judge S. Brooke Taylor that he wanted to hire his own attorney but “it ain’t going to happen.”
Bradfield said Oakley is “not cooperating with me” and hasn’t responded to points he has tried to raise.
“Is there any way I can change to a different public defender?” Bradfield asked Taylor.
Taylor denied the request, explaining that Harry Gasnick, head of Clallam Public Defender, appoints lawyers for clients who can’t afford one.
“Mr. Oakley is one of the most experienced criminal defense lawyers he has in that office,” Taylor said.
“It’s not unusual, Mr. Bradfield, for a client sitting where you are to think their attorneys don’t know anything, aren’t helping, aren’t cooperating, blah blah blah.
“That’s because the clients don’t understand what the attorneys understand about what it takes to prepare a defense in a case like this.”
Taylor reminded Bradfield that he can hire his own lawyer.
“Otherwise, it’s up to Mr. Gasnick in the public defender’s office, who is assigned to your case,” Taylor said.
“He has assigned to your case, not coincidentally or accidentally, his most experienced trial lawyer.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
