A judge agreed to pay attorney Leslie Abramson $125,000 in public funds to defend Erik Menendez at his second trial - a price tag slightly less than the court's cost to assign a public defender.
"It is very difficult to deny the appointment of Ms. Abramson at county expense when she has agreed to work for fees less," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cecil Mills said Tuesday.Mills' ruling was based in part on a signed affidavit by Alternate Public Defender Bruce Hoffman who said it would cost the county $125,483.36 in salary, benefits, mileage and overhead to assign an experienced public defender to represent the younger Menendez brother on murder charges for one year.
Erik Menendez, 23, and his brother, Lyle, 26, face a second trial on murder charges in the Aug. 20, 1989, shotgun slayings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
Mistrials were declared in the first trial after two juries deadlocked.
Abramson, who was paid $650,000 for four years' work on Erik's behalf, sought to continue defending Menendez, but Mills initially balked when she asked to be paid by the county because the brothers had run out of money.
The judge initially took the position that Abramson's contract with Erik Menendez covered any subsequent trials.
By agreeing to work for $125,000 a year - or half that amount if the case is resolved in six months - Abramson estimated she will earn roughly $65 an hour, rather than $100 an hour as she earlier requested.
"I think you may have calmed the raging lion," Mills said, in apparent reference to the judge's concerns about the cost of private attorneys to the public.
"Was that you, sir?" Abramson asked with a smile.
"I think it was clear all along," Mills said, "that the dollars were what was concerning me."
Abramson also pledged that private donations to the Erik Menendez defense fund, which now total about $30,000, will not be used to pay any portion of her salary.
"Every penny that is coming in is being applied toward one of the line items on the budget," she said.