"Anyone charged with a crime is constitutionally entitled to do so, though judges typically and often without success try to convince defendants that it's a terrible idea. With his pro per status affirmed last July, Tilley's first big challenge was a Dec. 1 preliminary hearing, a pretrial hearing where prosecutors must reach the low legal threshold of probable cause in order to convince a judge to advance the case."
"At the hearing's end, Tilley got his first chance to argue why he shouldn't go to trial on charges of murder with an enhancement for alleged use of a knife. Simply as the prosecution has already found to be some sort of error uncontestably (sic) that the validity of such a charge is unfounded, he said, prompting the prosecutor to clarify that there has been has been no legal finding of prosecutorial error."
"Even the most skilled, experienced litigant would have a tough time throwing out a case like this at a preliminary hearing stage. According to prosecutors, last April 1, Tilley stabbed his mother repeatedly in the kitchen of their Pleasanton home, using a four-inch blade until it broke, then a butcher knife. Then he took a shower and walked to the Pl"
Malcolm Tilley, 32, previously earned one-half of a bachelor's degree and worked in hospitality and manufacturing. Tilley chose to represent himself after his pro per status was affirmed last July. A Dec. 1 preliminary hearing required prosecutors to show probable cause to advance the murder charge. Tilley argued the charge's validity was unfounded and suggested prosecutorial error; the prosecutor clarified there had been no legal finding of error. Judge Toni Mims-Cochran held Tilley to answer on the murder charge, ending the hearing. Prosecutors allege that on April 1 Tilley stabbed his mother repeatedly in their Pleasanton kitchen, using a four-inch blade that broke and then a butcher knife; he then took a shower and walked to the Pl
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