Loyd to judge: ‘I don’t wanna talk to you’

Accused murderer Markeith Loyd passed a two-page letter to the judge and said he didn’t want to speak with him further during his arraignment Wednesday morning on charges that can carry the death penalty.

Loyd has previously said he wants to represent himself, and did not try to have a lawyer appointed for him before his arraignment.

“I don’t wanna talk to you,” Loyd said after Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Frederick Lauten asked him about trial procedure.

“At some point in time, if we can’t talk to one another, then I may force you to have a lawyer so that the questions can be answered,” Lauten said. “… I can wait until next week to talk about the appointment of counsel, but I want to stress this to you today, Mr. Loyd: There’s a clock that is sort of running now. We’re gonna get closer to trial.”

Loyd is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, and Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton; and other violent crimes, including attempted murder, aggravated assault and carjacking. He rocked in his seat and didn’t change expression as Lauten read out his charges and pointed out that some of the crimes can carry the death penalty. A grand jury indicted Loyd last week.

The hand-written letter Loyd gave Lauten was a motion to reschedule his plea hearing because, Loyd wrote, he was not given a copy of the criminal complaint explaining the charges he faces. The letter was written in formal legal language and bore Loyd’s name as “Attorneyin-facts.”

Lauten also asked Loyd if he’d been able to talk to his family. Loyd said he had, “a little.” Jail records show relatives visited him five times this month, including his mother, daughter and a sibling. They were twice joined by a member of the clergy. A few of his relatives attended Wednesday’s hearing.

Dixon’s mother was there too, wearing a purple T-shirt with the words “RIP my princess” above photos of her daughter.

Lauten ordered the clerk of courts to get Loyd a copy of the document and scheduled another hearing for next Wednesday so he can plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest to the charges.

Loyd has no formal legal training. In January, Lauten ruled that he’s competent to decide if he wants an attorney, but hasn’t yet ruled if he is competent to represent himself. “Please give very careful thought to how serious these allegations are, know that you’re up against trained, experienced trial lawyers, and in many ways, it would be like you’re in a fight with your hands tied behind your back,” Lauten said Wednesday. “… It would be very difficult for you to represent yourself. If you insist on it, you have that right. But it’s something that I discourage anyone from ever doing.”

Authorities had been looking for Loyd since a shooting Dec. 13, which left Dixon dead and her brother severely injured. On Jan. 9, Clayton, who was on the job in a Wal-Mart parking lot, heard Loyd was nearby and tried to arrest him. He allegedly shot and killed her, then fled.

After a week-long manhunt, police found Loyd in an abandoned Carver Shores home Jan. 17 and arrested him.