Defendant in 2007 Carnation slayings wants new lawyer

Michele Anderson, who says she killed six members of her family on Christmas Eve 2007, railed against her attorneys in court Thursday, calling them dishonest and unqualified, and asked a judge to appoint new legal counsel.

At the same time, Anderson urged King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor James Konat to drop charges against her former boyfriend and co-defendant Joseph McEnroe, saying she alone was responsible for the slayings of her parents, her brother and his wife and their two young children.

She also asked that Konat charge her with kidnapping for forcing McEnroe to participate in the killings at her parents' Carnation home.

Konat said that he would not drop charges against McEnroe and has no plans of amending the charges against Anderson. McEnroe waived his presence at Thursday's hearing.

Anderson and McEnroe, both 31, are accused of fatally shooting her parents, Wayne and Judy Anderson, during a Christmas Eve gathering at their home. When her brother Scott Anderson and his wife, Erica, and their children, ages 5 and 3, arrived later that evening, they, too, were shot, prosecutors said.

If found guilty, Anderson and McEnroe face only two possible sentences for the six counts of aggravated murder: execution, or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

They likely will be tried next year.

In June 2008, Anderson told The Seattle Times during a jailhouse interview that she and McEnroe killed her family in a fit of rage, claiming she had suffered years of physical and emotional abuse.

"I want the most severe punishment, which would be the death penalty," Anderson told The Times. "I think if I kill a bunch of people, I'm not sure I deserve to live. ... I want to waive my trial."

It isn't clear why Anderson wants to fire her lawyers, Lisa Mulligan and Hal Palmer, who work for the public-defense agency Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons. Mulligan told Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell on Thursday that they had not spoken with Anderson since Sept. 15.

Mulligan said that Anderson believes her rights have been violated by her new defense team. Anderson also believes that Mulligan and Palmer committed malpractice, are unqualified, dishonest and have failed to address the issues she has asked them to, Mulligan explained in court.

After the hearing Mulligan declined to comment about Anderson's claims.

Last year, Anderson dismissed her first defense team after Ramsdell noted "a breakdown in communication" between Anderson and attorneys Kevin Dolan and Cindy Arends. The strained relations occurred after Anderson contacted the media to admit guilt and to say that she wanted to be executed.

On Thursday, Ramsdell ordered prosecution and defense lawyers to return to court next month for an open hearing on Anderson's claims.

"Nothing she [Anderson] has said this far rises to the level of her needing new counsel," Konat said after the hearing. "She's entitled to counsel. She's not entitled to counsel of her choice."

Anderson has recently contacted the King County Office of Public Defense, which assigns public-defense agencies and private attorneys in criminal cases, with the hope of finding a new lawyer, Mulligan said.

Mulligan, speaking on Anderson's behalf, said that Anderson believes that other lawyers won't take her case because they believe she is a difficult client.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com