DENVER—A Denver lawyer thrust into the international spotlight while representing a Colorado man accused of plotting a terrorist attack is no longer on the case.
Arthur Folsom is off Najibullah Zazi’s defense team as of last month, Folsom spokeswoman Wendy Aiello told The Associated Press on Monday. Folsom did not return messages.
Zazi was arrested in Colorado on Sept. 19 and was later transferred to New York City, where authorities say he plotted to use hydrogen peroxide bombs to possibly attack the city’s mass transit system.
Denver attorney J. Michael Dowling, whom Folsom tapped to help with the case, and New York City attorney William Stampur were appointed by a federal judge last month as Zazi’s court-paid attorneys.
Dowling said Folsom had also applied to be appointed Zazi’s attorney. New York U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie didn’t give a reason for not appointing Folsom.
During a Zazi appearance in federal court in Denver days after Zazi’s arrest, a magistrate judge questioned whether Folsom could practice in federal court. Folsom said he had never tried a case in federal court but is qualified to do so.
The low-key, methodical Folsom has handled divorces, drunken driving and other criminal cases over the past 11 years in Colorado state courts.
He accompanied Zazi to the Denver FBI headquarters for three consecutive days of questioning that lasted a total of 27 hours. Hours after Folsom broke off the talks, Zazi was arrested on accusations that he lied to the government in a matter relating to terrorism.
Folsom said he had no regrets about how those talks were handled.
“When it ceased to be in (Zazi’s) best interest, we stopped,” Folsom said at the time.
In June, the 37-year-old Folsom was charged in Larimer County with possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana, a petty offense that typically carries a fine of no more than $100 if convicted but no jail time.
Folsom has said he was cited because he was the owner of the boat where the marijuana was found during a safety inspection and that the marijuana belonged to a guest on the boat.
Larimer County district attorney spokeswoman Linda Jensen said the case was dismissed Nov. 2 after Folsom’s friend provided a medical marijuana license.
