Jason Edward Lee appeared before Judge J. Howe Brown without a lawyer, 354 days after being indicted for murder.
On June 20, 2005, a Fairfax County grand jury indicted Lee, 24 of Ocala, Fla., for the murder of Richard Gluckstern, 46. Police found Gluckstern dead of asphyxiation in his apartment in the 12100 block of Elm Forest Way in Fairfax on June 14, 2005.
Lee was arrested the day before in Marion County, Fla., on an unrelated outstanding warrant for probation violation on burglary and grand theft charges. He was found with Gluckstern’s personal property, and Marion County police contacted Virginia detectives.
Lee was extradited from Florida to Virginia last week and was scheduled to be arraigned last Friday, June 9 in Fairfax County Circuit Court.
Judge Brown asked Lee if he understood he faced a series of charges, including murder, grand larceny and credit card theft.
“Do you have a lawyer?” asked Brown.
“No,” said Lee, who said he didn’t have the money to retain one.
Brown asked Lee if he thought he should be represented by a public defender.
“I don’t know how this state works. I don’t know why not,” Lee said.
Brown scheduled another hearing for Friday, after a public defender is appointed to represent him.
Lee is also charged with stealing Gluckstern’s computer, Visa credit card and his 1994 Honda.
<1b>— Ken Moore