Lonnie Liner seeks new lawyer
New pre-trial hearing set
LANCASTER, Calif.—For months now, Lonnie Liner, the 16-year-old suspect accused of murdering his 11-year-old cousin and critically injuring her teenage sister, has been sitting in a jail cell at Sylmar’s juvenile correctional facility. His preliminary trial, which has been rescheduled several times, is expected to commence Dec. 15 at the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse at 8:30 a.m.
Liner walked into the courthouse last Thursday (Dec. 2) morning wearing an orange jumpsuit with black lettering on the back that read, “PROBATION.” As he walked to the defendants’ seat in the courthouse, where Justice Christopher Estes presided, Liner appeared grim, tight-lipped, and weary.
As he sat next to his public defender, Rosario Corona, the young man clinched his jaw, as if holding back anger or frustration. Shortly after Judge Estes called the case, both the prosecutor and defendant agreed to push the preliminary trial to a later date due to Corona being “under the weather.”
Seconds after the date was decided, Liner whispered something into his lawyer’s ear. His request was for a new public defender.
Judge Estes promptly demanded the courtroom to be cleared. The doors were shut. All witnesses, family members, and courtroom attendees sat in the lobby until the doors were opened again.
Audience members, and lawyers for other cases were a bit chatty as they returned to the courtroom, which quickly angered the judge. Before 10 people could make their way back through the two sets of double doors, Judge Estes yelled out, “Shut the doors. They don’t know the meaning of quiet.”
Despite Liner’s request, Corona will continue as his public defender. She commented later that the next date will most likely be the preliminary trial, when witnesses will be called.
A handful of Liner’s family members were also in attendance, but refused to comment on the case. When asked if anyone advised him to ask for a new lawyer, they refused to comment on the record.
The family has been very hush-hush about the case, but in recent reports, someone close to the family revealed Liner’s lawyer has not sought a psychological evaluation. The source said Corona deemed it unnecessary. However, family members are concerned that Liner will not receive the assistance he needs, if he is in need of psychological help.
LANCASTER, Calif.—The family of Lonnie Liner, the 17-year-old accused murderer, filed into the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse on Monday but, again, the trial has been pushed to another date, April 25.
Last summer, Liner was arrested and charged with the murder of his 11-year-old cousin Dahlia Lenaris and the attempted murder of her 14-year-old sister Sharoya in the Littlerock home of their guardian.
Lonnie Liner, the young man who stabbed to death his 11-year-old cousin and seriously injured her 14-year-old sister, Sharoya, in the high desert community of Littlerock, was sentenced Tuesday to 26 years to life in prison.
Lancaster Superior Court Judge Hayden Zacky imposed the term on Lonnie Lee Liner, who pleaded no contest March 28 to one count each of second-degree murder and attempted murder.
Dahlia Lenaris was pronounced dead the morning of Aug. 3, 2010, by paramedics sent to a home in the 10300 block of East Avenue R-14.
PALMDALE, Calif.—It has been almost a year since the lives of the Liner and Lenaris families were changed forever. It was that dreadful morning on Aug. 3, 2010, when 16-year-old Lonnie Liner allegedly stabbed his 11-year-old cousin Dahlia Lenaris to death and nearly took the life of her older sister.
Some suggest it was a mental breakdown; others say it was pure evil. The trial for the alleged teen killer has not begun, and close family relations have been reserved about sharing any information about the imprisoned Liner, now 17.
LANCASTER, Calif.— For months now the case of Lonnie Liner, the suspect in the murder of Dahlia Lenaris, 11, and the attempted murder of her sister Sharoya Lenaris, 14, on Aug. 3, has been put off. But on Wednesday the preliminary trial for the accused murderer proceeded at the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse in the courtroom of Judge Christopher Estes.
LANCASTER, Calif. —Last week, sources close to the family of Lonnie Liner said the young man, who is in custody for allegedly murdering his cousin, Dahlia Lenaris, does not remember committing acts that led to the death of his relative.
