Accused man says lawyer wrecking his marriage

Kim Smith

Monday, April 24, 2000 | 11:41 a.m.

A Boulder City resident suspected in the disappearance of one of his wives is trying to fire his public defender complaining that she has damaged his relationship with his other wife.

U.S. Magistrate Robert Johnston is expected to decide today whether Assistant U.S. Public Defender Shari Kaufman should be replaced as counsel for David Kent Fitch.

Fitch filed a motion two weeks ago asking for Kaufman to be replaced, saying that she treats him with "contempt and disrespect." He lists nine primary complaints against her in his motion, including the fact she allegedly shared information with his wife in England he asked her not to share, thus damaging their relationship.

"Present counsel has manifested an attitude of profuse cynicism and appears to proceed on the assumption that all defendants are lying scum who only deserve to have a prison sentence arranged for them via a plea bargain," Fitch wrote in his motion.

Kaufman, who had not received a copy of the motion Friday, was unavailable for comment this morning.

The motion is just the latest twist in what prosecutors have said is one of the more bizarre cases to come along in a while.

Although he has not been charged, Fitch is the primary suspect in the disappearance of Maria Bozi, a 46-year-old resident of England. He is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on a federal weapons charge.

According to court documents, Fitch and Bozi were married in April 1999 in England, and Bozi followed Fitch to Southern Nevada three months later.

No one has seen or spoken to Bozi since September and within days of her final telephone conversation with her English caretaker, authorities say, Fitch began withdrawing large sums of money from her bank accounts using her automated teller card.

In addition to learning that Fitch married another England resident, Patricia Molano Gutierrez, in January, they discovered Fitch had purchased chloroform 23 days after Bozi had arrived in the U.S.

Fitch was stopped for speeding Feb. 8 while driving Bozi's car. A subsequent search of Fitch's rented storage unit resulted in his arrest on a single charge of being a felon in possession of firearms -- the charge he faces in federal court.

Moreover, authorities also found that Fitch had multiple identities and several instructional books on murder and changing identities.

Those who lived near Fitch in a Lake Mead-area trailer park said Fitch gave differing stories about his occupation. He told some he was a chiropractor and others he was an overseas engineer or crop duster.

In an interview with the Sun in March, Fitch's father, Texas resident Burl Fitch, said he thought his son was working on an oil rig off the coast of Holland.

Fitch states in his motion that Kaufman is unresponsive to his requests for information about his case, has provided inaccurate information about possible sentences and refused to contact people he believes can help him.

In addition, Fitch accuses Kaufman of refusing to try to get property and money seized by federal authorities and of refusing to discuss defense strategies with him.

Las Vegas defense attorney Donald Green said he expects to be appointed to the case Monday.

In related matters, the FBI is awaiting permission from Washington, D.C., officials to air the Fitch case on the syndicated TV show "America's Most Wanted." Special Agent Joe Dickey said agents are hoping people who saw Fitch and Bozi together or knew Fitch under any of his aliases will come forward.

Special Agent Greg Rice said that while finding Bozi is the agency's main concern at this point, agents are working with Scotland Yard and other agencies to obtain background information on Fitch.

As for Patricia Molano Gutierrez, she is still in England and agents believe she is Fitch's fifth wife.

"She isn't a subject or a witness at this point," Rice said.

Fitch's trial is scheduled for July 10. Damm would not comment on whether murder or any other charges will be pursued.

"There are all sorts of prosecution options, but I don't feel comfortable discussing them right now," Damm said.

Kim Smith covers courts for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2321 or by e-mail at kimberly@lasvegassun.com.