F. Glenn Miller Jr., accused of Jewish center killings, will keep defense team ‘for now’

Despite saying he doesn’t trust his court-appointed lawyers, F. Glenn Miller Jr. on Friday said he would keep them “for now” as preparations got under way for his trial beginning Aug. 17.

The judge overseeing the case against the 74-year-old Miller questioned him about prior court outbursts in which he demanded to fire his lawyers and represent himself.

Miller, who is charged with capital murder and faces a possible death sentence for the April 2014 killings of three people outside Jewish facilities in Overland Park, told District Judge Kelly Ryan on Friday that he didn’t think he could get a fair trial unless he represented himself.

“They (his three attorneys) get paid by my enemy,” Miller said. “I don’t trust anybody who works for the government.”

Prosecutors had argued that if Miller wanted to represent himself and his request was denied, it could lead to an appeals court throwing out a conviction.

But when Ryan pressed Miller about his decision, Miller said he needed more time to think and would retain his current defense team.

After that issue was resolved, the judge and attorneys began making preparations for the trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks.

It will be Johnson County’s first death penalty trial in more than a decade. Questionnaires will be mailed to 1,000 potential jurors.

Several dates were set aside to take up pretrial motions that will include a defense request for a change of venue and possible motions to suppress evidence. The first of those dates was set for May 14.

Miller, also known as Frazier Glenn Cross Jr., is accused of killing William Corporon, Reat Underwood and Terri LaManno.

Corporon and his grandson, Underwood, were shot to death outside the Jewish Community Center. LaManno was killed a few minutes later outside the Village Shalom care center.

Miller was arrested that day and is being held in the Johnson County jail.

This story was originally published April 3, 2015 at 4:36 PM with the headline "F. Glenn Miller Jr., accused of Jewish center killings, will keep defense team ‘for now’."