Judge twice denied removing attorney in double-murder case. Now attorney wants out

The defense attorney assigned to represent Ahmad Dunbar, one of two men facing charges in the January murders of Karl Tuxford and Jordan Finlon, is seeking to be removed from the case after the presiding judge already denied Dunbar’s request to fire him twice.

On Jan. 19, 2016, Bradenton police officers were called to the 1100 block of Eighth Avenue East to reports of a shooting and found Tuxford in his Jeep shot dead. Less than an hour later, deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were called to Bishop Harbor Road in northern Manatee County after motorists saw a body alongside the road, later identified as Finlon, who had been stabbed more than 40 times.

Dunbar, 39, is charged with one count of second-degree murder in Tuxford’s fatal shooting. He has not been charged in Finlon’s death but still could be.

Dwayne Cummings, 39, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed kidnapping.

On Wednesday, Dunbar’s defense attorney, Charles Lykes Jr., appeared before Circuit Judge Hunter Carroll and requested to be removed from the case, citing personal reasons. But Dunbar was not present because he had not been transported over from the jail — to the apparent dismay of the judge.

Carroll said he would not discuss or consider removing Lykes without Dunbar being present. He ordered that a hearing be scheduled next week to discuss the possibility.

Neither Lykes nor Dunbar appeared in court on Friday during a scheduled hearing in both his and Cummings’ cases. During Friday’s hearing, Cummings’ upcoming trial was delayed after Assistant State Attorney Art Brown said new evidence had been uncovered just a week before.

As a result, Cummings was not required to appear at Wednesday’s docket sounding hearing.

When Lykes asked to approach the bench with Brown for a sidebar with Carroll, his request was denied after the judge learned Dunbar had not been transported for the hearing, a responsibility of the defense. Carroll said they would discuss the case on the record.

But without Dunbar, Carroll asked that Lykes and Brown arrange a time that was convenient to them both next week to discuss the matter.

In November, Dunbar stormed out of the courtroom after Carroll denied for s second time removing Lykes as his court-appointed attorney.

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 7:38 PM with the headline "Judge twice denied removing attorney in double-murder case. Now attorney wants out."