A man charged with third-degree murder has sent a letter urging a judge assigned to his case to remove the public defender as his representative in court.
The letter was sent by 22-year-old Jacob Anthony Pontiff who was arrested by Leesburg police detectives on Feb. 6, 2020 and charged in the death of 18-year-old Isaiah Terrell Walters, who was gunned down Jan. 29 at Berry Park in the Carver Heights area. Pontiff also has been charged with attempting to sell cannabis and amphetamine. During that attempted transaction he implied to the police informant that he had killed the last person who tried to rob him.
In his letter to the judge, Pontiff claims that the state was trying to force him to trial and that his court-appointed lawyer would not follow his direction. He also wrote that he would agree to 10 years with credit for time served.
His co-defendant, Donald Miller who was 17 at the time of the killing was sentenced on May 9 to 15 years in prison for his role in the crime.
Pontiff’s next court date is Oct. 19.
