Man facing life sentence fires lawyer: ‘Didn’t do his job’

Kormendy convicted of attempted murder of former girlfriend, her children

A man facing a life sentence for torching a house knowing a woman and her two young daughters were inside has fired his lawyer.

Kenneth Kormendy, 45, appeared in Superior Court Wednesday, criticizing the lawyer who represented him at trial.

“He didn’t do his job in defending me,” Kormendy told Justice Christopher Bondy. “I know that for a fact.”

Evan Weber, who had represented Kormendy, did not fight being cut loose.

“I’m not going to get into a battle of words with him,” Weber said after Wednesday ’s court appearance.

Kormendy had been scheduled for a sentencing hearing next week.

The court had set aside a full day to hear arguments on how much time he should spend behind bars.

Kormendy was convicted of three counts of attempted murder and five arson-related charges for the Oct. 25, 2014, fire on Balfour Boulevard.

Kormendy poured gasoline over Sheri Rueda and her sleeping daughter. Rueda forced him out of the bedroom. He poured gasoline outside the door and set it on fire.

Rueda’s toddler, Felicia, 1, was asleep in her crib in another room. Kormendy got Felicia out of the house. She was unharmed.

Isabel Rueda, then 7, suffered deep, lasting burns to 15 per cent of her body. Her doctor testified at trial the little girl will never have full use of her hands or feet and will require repeated surgeries to loosen scar tissue as she grows. The burns to her face will be permanent.

Assistant Crown attorney Walter Costa is seeking the maximum penalty for the crime. Normally, a person convicted of attempted murder can apply for parole after seven years.

Costa wants Kormendy to serve 10 years before he can apply for release and be on parole for the rest of his life. If Bondy does not impose a life sentence, Costa wants Kormendy to have to serve at least half his sentence before applying for parole.

Normally, convicts can apply for parole after serving a third of their sentence.

Defence lawyer Helen Burgess represented Kormendy in court Wednesday. Burgess told the court she has not been formally retained.

Kormendy and Rueda had been in a romantic relationship until the night of the fire. That night, Rueda told Kormendy they were through, court heard.

The two met through an online dating site and within weeks of meeting for the first time, Kormendy moved into the home Rueda shared with her three daughters.

The eldest daughter, Sarah, 10, was not home at the time of the blaze.

Kormendy testified at trial, trying to blame the fire on Rueda. The judge didn’t believe him.

A sentencing hearing in the case had been scheduled for next week. Instead, Kormendy’s case will be spoken to April 7 to set a new date.