A federal judge has removed attorney Nicole Lopes from representing ex-Antioch officer Devon Wenger after questioning her competence in a conspiracy and civil rights case. The decision followed weeks of escalating issues, including accusations of incompetence from Judge Jeffrey White regarding Lopes' public statements and actions following a mistrial. White criticized Lopes' failure to follow court orders and expressed concerns about her ability to adequately represent Wenger. Lopes responded by defending her actions and calling attention to perceived biases against her gender and ethnicity.
There is nothing before the court whatsoever from which the court could infer that Ms. Lopes will adequately prepare herself next time around even with the benefit of co-counsel.
White voiced his decision through a slow crescendo of criticism aimed at Lopes over her public statements and actions in the days after White granted Wenger a mistrial, at Lopes' insistence.
Lopes defended her actions and suggested White was biased against her, as a woman and a Latina. Everything I said in there is true.
The matter would be referred to the state bar for possible discipline, and that there could be future hearings to determine whether Lopes is in criminal contempt of this court.
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