Thirty-five-year-old Anand has been convicted by the California court for sexually assaulting upcoming models and now faces a sentence for as many as 162 years of imprisonment. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31.
Appearing before the California Superior Court Judge David Wesley, Anand was initially discouraged by the judge from dismissing his lawyer, even as he said that he had the right to defend himself.
Wesley told Anand that once he took over the task to defend himself, he would not be allowed his counsel back.
Anand, however, insisted that he wants to defend his own case now and fire the lawyer.
“One of the downsides is that you’re not a lawyer. You will be moved to another module that you may not like as much as where you are now,” Wesley said.
Once he agreed that he can defend himself, he wanted a court-recommended paralegal.
Wesley said he does not provide paralegals to prose defendants, but will allow him to choose a “runner.” The court later allowed Richard Bernard, his attorney, to be his runner.
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