Judge shuts down attorney swap request in child murder case.

As the case against Tami Huntsman and Gonzalo Curiel moves through initial court proceedings, the judge presiding over the case blocked the defense’s attempt to replace Huntsman’s attorney. Both defendants are accused of torturing two children to death and dumping their bodies in a storage unit in Redding, as well as torturing a 9-year-old girl.

Last week, Huntsman’s attorney, Kay Duffy, said she had been “unappointed” by the county Alternate Defender’s Office. And a pair of new attorneys from San Luis Obispo, Bill McLennan and Tom Allen, appeared saying they would be assigned.

Monterey County Superior Court Judge Pamela Butler, though, expressed concern about the swap as it could cause a delay in the case, so she shot down the request on Friday. She said Duffy, who was appointed to the case two months ago, would remain the attorney of record.

“Despite the obvious seriousness of the charges, I am not convinced this case is sufficiently complicated,” Butler said Friday.

Charges and special circumstance allegations that have been filed against Huntsman, 39, could qualify her for the death penalty, but prosecutors have not yet determined if they will pursue it. Curiel, 18, could face life in prison, but not the death penalty since he was a minor at the time the crimes occurred.

Attorney Frank Dice, who manages the ADO, tried to argue Butler’s decision, but Butler cut him off and said he could assign co-counsel or special counsel, but not the initial request.

“It would dramatically change how appointments have been done with the ADO for 25 years,” Butler said.

On Friday, Butler also scheduled the case’s preliminary hearing for May 23. This hearing will lay out the facts of the case and will determine whether there is enough evidence to require a trial.