Cassidy to defend himself in court

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, May 1, 2003 | 8:37 a.m.

A former aide to Mayor Oscar Goodman accused of raping his estranged wife and burning down her business will represent himself when he stands trial on the charges.

District Judge Lee Gates on Wednesday determined that William Cassidy, 52, is competent to defend himself against nine felony counts, including sexual assault, first-degree arson and second-degree kidnapping.

The former chief administrator for Goodman has a bachelor's degree in international relations and a master's degree in religious studies, he said.

He has worked with defense attorneys including Goodman and California attorney F. Lee Bailey, he said. Cassidy has also worked as an investigator with the defense team during the Ted Binion murder trial.

When Gates asked Cassidy if he was aware of the assumptions commonly held about defendants who represent themselves, Cassidy replied, "I believe the proper saying is you have a fool for a lawyer if you represent yourself."

Though Cassidy is not a licensed attorney, he will be held to the same conduct and standards as attorneys, and if he is convicted on the charges, he won't be able to claim ineffective counsel, Gates said.

"All I would ask for would be a level playing field, your honor," Cassidy said.

Cassidy was indicted last week on charges that he sexually assaulted his wife at the couple's home on Feb. 19 and two days later burned down her massage studio in the 2100 block of S. Decatur Boulevard.

The blaze gutted one room of the building and caused more than $100,000 in smoke and heat damage, fire officials said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Conrad Claus said Cassidy has also made more than 60 phone calls to his wife that were taped and to third parties from jail in an effort to persuade his wife not to testify against him.

"The longer we wait for a trial the more time he has to influence her," he said. "A lot of people are scared of Mr. Cassidy on the outside."

Cassidy said he has only contacted his wife in an effort to clear up legal matters. His wife is filing for a divorce. He said his wife is representing herself in the divorce.

He called the case "grossly overcharged."

"(Prosecutors) have embellished a little bit here," he said. "My wife and I have a volatile relationship. This is all in relation to my asking her not to divorce me."

Cassidy, who has been held at the Clark County Detention Center since he surrendered to police March 14, also complained about his $500,000 bail.

"They've set this impossibly high bail in an attempt to lock me down so that I can't defend myself," he said.

Gates said he would make arrangements so that Cassidy can use the jail's law library. A status check hearing to determine whether the public defender's office will be appointed as stand-by counsel is scheduled for May 7.