Judge rules Matthew Hale can represent himself

NWITimes.com/August 11, 2004

Chicago -- A white supremacist convicted of seeking to have a federal judge murdered will be allowed to represent himself in his sentencing and other legal matters, a federal judge has ruled.

Matthew Hale will have access to an attorney who can assist in his case, U.S. Magistrate Andrew Rodovich ruled Tuesday.

Hale was convicted in May of trying to have U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow killed and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors said Hale was furious after Lefkow ordered him to stop using the name World Church of the Creator because it had been trademarked by an Oregon-based religious group that has no ties to Hale.

He fired his defense attorney after the trial. Hale attended law school but was refused a law license in Illinois.

Hale has asked for a new trial and has accused the government of altering transcripts of a secretly recorded conversation. Prosecutors offered the transcripts as proof that Hale tried to have Lefkow killed.

Hale is scheduled to be sentenced in November. Solicitation of murder carries a maximum 20 years in prison. Hale could also get a maximum of 10 years on each of three counts of obstruction of justice.