Smith gets new lawyer in long-running murder case
Antonio Smith, who entered a plea in the midst of a sprawling witness intimidation case, has a new lawyer as he tries to pull back that guilty plea.
Smith, 35, is now represented by defense lawyer Russell Jones, who was appointed by the public defender’s office after attorney Tom Erickson was taken off the case.
Since Smith is arguing he received ineffective counsel and was pressured into the guilty plea, Erickson was removed from the case. He could now be a witness for that motion.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph Donald said earlier he had little choice but to grant Smith’s motion to have a hearing on his motion to withdraw the plea, based on appeals court rulings. The motion was raised the day Smith was supposed to be sentenced.
A hearing in the case is set for June 19.
The sprawling witness intimidation case is still going nearly two years after the first killing.
Smith was charged with killing Eddie Powe in July 2015. Eight days later, authorities say, he executed 17-year-old Breanna Eskridge, Powe’s girlfriend and a witness to his killing. Smith was arrested but, from behind bars, he orchestrated a plot to kill another witness to Powe’s murder, John Spivey.
The long-running, complicated case highlights the problem of witness intimidation in Milwaukee, which prosecutors say is damaging the criminal justice system.
The plot was foiled after investigators detected it in jail calls.
Everyone in the case, besides Smith, has been convicted and sentenced.