Man accused of livestreaming shootout with deputies requests new attorney, judge denies

Judge urged Gray to work with his lawyer to address any issues

ORLANDO, Fla. – A man involved in a shootout with Orange County deputies, which he livestreamed on Instagram, is asking a judge for a new attorney in his case.

During LaForest Gray's court appearance Friday, a judge addressed a motion by Gray, who wrote he was being misrepresented because of "a lack of proper communication" with his lawyer.

Gray says his public defender has not beeen paying enough attention to his case. He said his attorney has only visited him four times during the 107 days he’s been incarcerated.

The hearing comes a day after Gray's attorney filed a motion to set bond at $100,000.

The judge denied Gray’s request, saying his attorney appears to be doing everything she can to help his case. The judge urged Gray to work with his lawyer to address any issues.

Gray is accused of firing several shots at deputies after they arrived at the Citra at Windermere Apartments for a domestic violence call.

Investigators said Gray refused to surrender and then opened fire. Body camera video showed deputies returned fire, but no one was shot.

In April, Judge Bob LeBlanc denied a motion by Gray to dismiss the case.

Gray told the judge he and his wife were simply "role playing" on the day of the shooting and are celebrities because of the videos they post online.

Gray remains at the Orange County Jail on charges that include attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

Pre-trial hearing is scheduled for June 19 with the trial set to begin July 8.

 


About the Author:

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

Recommended Videos