Stanford fires yet another attorney

One of Allen Stanford's two new lawyers has asked a judge for permission to withdraw from the case, saying the disgraced financier has fired him.

Mike Essmyer, a Houston criminal defence lawyer, told United States District Judge David Hittner that Stanford wanted Robert S. Bennett to head his new legal team because of a conflict with his last set of lawyers.

But in his motion filed on Friday, Essmyer said he's had irreconcilable differences with Stanford, who fired him in writing.

Essmyer said he also had irreconcilable differences with Bennett.

Essmyer complains that though he is lead counsel, Bennett has acted independently.

It is unclear whether Hittner will let Essmyer withdraw. The judge was adamant in April that Bennett and Essmyer were the last counsel of record for Stanford, who has changed attorneys several times.

Stanford, 60, founder and chairman of Stanford Financial Group, has been charged by financial regulators in the United States with running an alleged 'massive' US$7 billion Ponzi scheme through his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank.

He has pleaded not guilty to all 21 charges and is in jail awaiting the start of the trial that is due to begin in January next year.

- CMC