Sniper suspect back in court

MANASSAS, Va. -- Sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad on Wednesday made a second appearance in a Prince William County court, this time with a lawyer experienced in high-profile cases.\nDuring the 10-minute hearing, Judge Leroy Millette appointed a second attorney for Muhammad and set a Dec. 12 hearing to consider a trial date. He is entitled to a trial by April 7.\nWhen Muhammad made his initial court appearance in Virginia on Friday, he was by himself. He seemed confused that the public defender appointed to represent him on federal extortion charges was no longer representing him.\nSince then, attorney Peter Greenspun has been appointed to represent him, and on Wednesday, the judge also appointed Jonathan Shapiro to the defense team.\nMuhammad, 41, sat impassively at Wednesday's hearing wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. He spoke only two words: "Yes, sir," when asked by the judge if he needed court-appointed counsel.\nGreenspun also asked the judge during the brief hearing to ban still cameras in the courtroom, a request Millette rejected.\nMuhammad is charged in the Oct. 9 slaying of Dean Harold Meyers, 53, at a gas station near Manassas.\nThe other sniper suspect, John Lee Malvo, 17, is being held in the Fairfax County jail awaiting a Dec. 5 hearing. The are suspected in 21 shootings -- 14 of them fatal -- in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Washington state, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana.\nBoth suspects face the death penalty if convicted of the Virginia charges.\nGreenspun has handled death penalty cases before. In 1994 he represented Ralph Shambaugh Jr. in a murder-for-hire case. Shambaugh eventually pleaded guilty as an accessory to murder.\nHis highest-profile case, though, was representing Marv Albert on charges of forcible sodomy after a woman claimed Albert bit her on the back and forced her to perform oral sex in an Arlington hotel room. Albert pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, spent no time in jail and eventually had the conviction wiped from his record.\nAlbert's lead attorney in that case, Roy Black, said he was impressed by Greenspun's work.\n"We selected him because he was clearly the best criminal defense lawyer in that area of Virginia," Black said. "He's very good thinking on his feet; he's great with a jury."\nBlack said Greenspun's experience with that high-profile trial should prove helpful and that Muhammad is fortunate that Greenspun is representing him.\n"I wish Greenspun good luck," he said. "The only thing standing between Muhammad and a lynch mob is Peter Greenspun"