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Judge: Man Charged In 5 Slayings May Represent Himself

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By JENNIFER LEIGH

News Channel 8

Published: September 4, 2008

Updated: 09/04/2008 04:48 pm

  Leon Davis

Leon Davis won the right to act as his own attorney when he stands trial in the slayings of five people during two attacks in December.

Polk County Circuit Judge Michael Hunter ruled today that Davis can represent himself but that he will have standby counsel and can change his mind up to the first day of jury selection.

A status conference is scheduled for November on the charges against Davis, 30.

Davis is accused in the slayings of sisters-in-law Juanita "Jane" Luciano and Yvonne Bustamante, who were set on fire at a Lake Wales insurance office, and the execution-style shooting deaths of Pravinkumar Patel and Dasharathbhai Patel at a gas station near Lake Alfred.

Both attacks occurred during robbery attempts, investigators said.

Luciano was six months pregnant at the time of her death.

Two of Bustamante's aunts attended the hearing today. One, Alicia Littleton, said they would attend all of Davis' court hearings. "As long as it takes, we're going to be here. It don't matter if it takes two or three years. We're going to be here. You know. That's all I can say. I just want justice, and that's it."

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