This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

UPDATE: Mosque Plot Suspect Obtains New Counsel, Expected Back in Court Feb. 11

Stockham's trial has been put on hold after he requested new legal counsel at his pre-trial due to personal differences, saying his appointed lawyer "a Shiite."

The trial was stalled Friday morning for a man being held on terrorism charges for what police say was a plot to blow up the the , the largest mosque in metro Detroit.

California resident Roger Stockham, 63, was appointed new counsel, after complaining Friday morning that his court-appointed attorney, Mark Haidar, is a Shiite Muslim.

“I reject my appointed counsel. He is a Shiite," Stockham said to presiding Judge Mark Somers. "I am not being represented by a patron of the mosque I am ... accused (of planning to attack).”

Find out what's happening in Dearbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Haidar could not be reached to confirm whether he attends the Islamic Center.

Livonia-based lawyer Matthew Evans has now been appointed to represent Stockham.

Find out what's happening in Dearbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In regard to Stockham's request to switch lawyers, Evans confirmed that Stockham is a Muslim convert. “That’s what he told me,” Evans said, adding that he did not ask Stockham whether he is a practicing Muslim, and could not confirm if Stockham considers himself to be a Sunni or Shiite Muslim.

Police arrested Stockham outside the mosque Jan. 24. They say he was wearing a black ski mask and driving near the mosque in a van full of intoxicants, spray paint and several "Class C" fireworks.

At Friday's pre-trial hearing, attorney Jeffrey Schwartz stood in for Haidar, who was out of town on plans set in place before he was assigned Stockham's case. Schwartz requested that Stockham receive a psychiatric evaluation, due to his history of mental health problems.

“Based on Mr. Stockham’s past mental health history and Mr. Haidar’s interview with Mr. Stockham, (Haidar) has instructed me to request that this court have him referred for a competency exam,” Schwartz said in court.

Judge Somers, however, said that the issue of changing Stockham's legal counsel needed to be addressed first.

"Let's make sure we get off on the right foot," Somers said. "We can see about a spot appointment, and then pick up the remaining issues."

Stockham said he did not tell Haidar about his request to change counsel, though he did speak with him briefly while in jail. “He seemed to be in quite a hurry, and it didn’t seem to be appropriate at the time,” said Stockham of broaching the issue of his lawyer's religion.

Schwartz confirmed to the Detroit News that Haidar is Muslim, but he does not know if he is a Shiite.

It was expected that the next step will include the mental competency exam, based on Stockham's history of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stemming from his time served in Vietnam, as well as a series of charges against him involving kidnapping his son, threats against several U.S. presidents, and a 2010 restraining order.

However, Evans would not confirm whether that was the route he was taking with the trial now that he is Stockham's attorney. "I plan to go through with the preliminary exam," he said Friday afternoon.

In the Jan. 24 incident, Stockham faces charges of possessing illegal "Class C" explosives, including M-80s, as well as making a terrorist threat. He is also being charged for having open intoxicants in his car at the time of the arrest.

The next hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 11 before Judge Somers.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?