Before presiding over the trial of a man prosecutors call a sadistic torturer of women, a Denver judge had to rule Wednesday on allegations that one of the defendant’s advisers is a psychic, and on an attorney’s request to quit the case.
Defendant Jimmie Wellman believes that Norma Mitchell – a self-described “intuitive counselor” – and private investigator Karen Campbell should assist him when he goes on trial in two weeks for allegedly trying to murder his girlfriend.
But Wednesday, after a Denver lawyer claimed that Mitchell is a “psychic” and Campbell has used much of the money allocated for Wellman’s defense, Denver District Judge Herbert Stern told the pair they lack credibility.
Stern said he would not continue to authorize Mitchell’s and Campbell’s work for Wellman, 39, unless they want to do it for free.
Taxpayers are covering Wellman’s defense costs.
Stern made the ruling following a review of what he said were the most remarkable documents he has read during his 17 years as a judge.
The documents came from Denver lawyer Susan M. Martin, who has been advisory counsel for Wellman for months.
Stern agreed to let Martin withdraw from the case after she claimed that Wellman, Campbell and Mitchell had hijacked her efforts to represent Wellman.
Martin described Mitchell as a psychic. She said her “psychic intuition” led her to believe that Wellman is innocent and a victim of a “grave injustice.”
She said Campbell had run up fees.
And Martin said Wellman repeatedly lied to Stern, manipulated the judicial system and, with the help of other Denver County inmates, purposely molded the case so he can win on appeal.
“You have lied, manipulated and misbehaved in subtle ways,” Stern told Wellman, who will now have to defend himself.
Prosecutors say the 6-foot-4 Wellman has brutalized several women, including a girlfriend who they say was hit, bitten, cut, burned and thrown around a hotel room by her hair over a complaint about money. He has 12 previous felony convictions on unrelated charges.
Authorities say he uses his charm to lure women into his life, then changes into a sadistic, brutal man who demands that his women become his “slaves.”
Campbell said Martin’s allegations had slandered her and Mitchell, calling the lawyer’s claims “inaccurate, misleading and false.”
Mitchell said she had a record of helping law enforcement officials, including the FBI and Texas investigators.
Mitchell described an “intuitive counselor” as someone more advanced than a psychic who “is able to understand things behind people’s words.”
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
