A criminal defense lawyer in Washington who has applied for a judgeship on the D.C. Superior Court bench has been tapped to represent a woman charged with stalking a magistrate judge.
The lawyer, Dorsey Jones Jr., made an appearance this month in the government’s stalking and burglary case against Taylar Nuevelle, court records show. Jones replaces solo practitioner A. Kevin Fahey. Jones was not immediately reached for comment at his office or via e-mail today and Fahey declined to comment about his withdrawal from the case.
Jones is among 28 contenders vying for the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Geoffrey Alprin. The D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission has not named the three finalists. Earlier this year, Jones put his name into contention the vacancy created by retiring Judge Rafael Diaz. Jones was not named a finalist.
A jury in late October had been set to hear the case against Nuevelle. But Nuevelle was hospitalized and the presiding judge, Russell Canan, released the jurors. Nuevelle’s trial on stalking and burglary charges has been postponed until January to allow Jones to catch up to speed on the case. Nuevelle, who was arrested last year, was indicted in April. She has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say she broke into the home of Magistrate Judge Janet Albert in September 2008 with the intent to stalk and harass her. Nuevelle is accused of sending hundreds of text and e-mail messages to Albert, whom she dated for a year in 2008.
Albert and Nuevelle broke up in September, court records show. In October 2008, Nuevelle filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Albert that accuses her of abusing her position as a judge. Albert’s lawyer, Robert Spagnoletti of D.C.’s Schertler & Onorato, has called the complaint meritless. Albert is expected to testify against Nuevelle.
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