Lee seeks retrial in killing
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PORT ALLEN — Death-row inmate Derrick Todd Lee was in 18th Judicial District Court on Tuesday seeking a new trial in the January 2002 beating and stabbing death of an Addis woman.
Lee made a brief appearance before state District Judge Robin Free but said little and let his public defender do most of the talking.
In court documents, Lee is asserting that he received “ineffective assistance” from his attorney, Tommy Thompson, of Port Allen, during Lee’s 2004 second-degree murder trial.
Lee was convicted Aug. 14, 2004, in the slaying of Geralyn Barr Desoto, 21, of Addis.
He was sentenced to life in prison two days later.
Lee also asserts in court filings that he received “ineffective assistance” from attorney Jelpi P. Picou Jr., of New Orleans, on appeal.
Lee’s filing also states that Lee, facing the death penalty in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, “has no way to investigate, obtain public records or interview witnesses, to prove his trial was handled incorrectly.”
Lee’s filing further requests the court provide him with an “experienced lawyer” and money to hire an investigator.
Lee’s petition for post-conviction relief was postponed until Feb 2. to give the 18th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office time to assign a new attorney to the case.
After court, Thompson said he didn’t feel comfortable further representing a man accusing him of not doing his job well.
Lee was sentenced to death by lethal injection following his 2004 first-degree murder conviction in the killing of Charlotte Murray Pace, of Baton Rouge.
Pace and Desoto are two of the seven south Louisiana women that authorities believe Lee, of St. Francisville, killed.
The 18th Judicial District is comprised of West Baton Rouge, Iberville and Pointe Coupee parishes.
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