The county public defender’s office hasn’t found an attorney to represent a Kensington man accused of murdering his girlfriend in a June shooting, delaying a scheduling hearing a second time.
Alejandro Jose Perez de Leon, 48, was arrested on June 18 in the shooting death of 33-year-old Silvia Elenia Fernandez. He is charged with first-degree murder.
Deputy Public Defender Theresa Chernosky, standing in for District Public Defender Allen Wolf, said at a hearing in county Circuit Court on Friday that the office is “struggling to find a conflict panel attorney for this case.”
Chernosky did not mention a conflict of interest regarding the office and Perez de Leon.
Chernosky added that the office is looking for a “Spanish investigator,” and has found two possible attorneys who could potentially take the case.
He requested a delay of the scheduling hearing, which already was pushed back from July 23.
Montgomery County Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Haynos did not oppose the request.
“I don’t see what else we can do,” Haynos said.
Perez de Leon was not taken to the courtroom for Friday’s hearing and Chernosky waived his right to appear. The scheduling hearing was moved to Aug. 23.
Perez de Leon allegedly shot his girlfriend in the basement of a Kensington home following an argument, according to charging documents. He surrendered to law enforcement outside the residence after county police responded to the report of gunshots.
Charlie Wright can be reached at charlie.wright@moco360.media
