Private Defense Attorneys Retained For Woman Accused of Killing Co-Worker at Lululemon
Lawyers wouldn't comment on the case Monday.
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Brittany Norwood, the woman accused of killing her co-worker Jayna Murray at the Lululemon store in downtown Bethesda March 11, is now being represented by private defense attorneys, according to court records.
An attorney for Norwood wouldn’t comment on the case against her Monday.
Norwood was represented by the public defenders' office during a bond review hearing last week. At the hearing, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said that Norwood had told police she and Murray had been attacked by two masked men and Murray had been killed. McCarthy said a police investigation revealed that Norwood killed Murray, told “pathological” lies to police, and staged the crime scene to make it appear as though an attack had taken place.
Norwood is charged with first-degree murder, and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing April 15.
Court records list Norwood’s defense attorneys as Christopher Griffiths and Douglas Wood. Both practice for Riverdale-based law firm Roberts & Wood.
An online bio describes Griffiths as “an accomplished trial attorney who has handled hundreds of cases in matters ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including narcotics, sex offenses, robberies and homicides.”
An online bio describes Wood as “one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the Washington, D.C. area.” Wood has handled over 50 jury trials in homicide cases, according to the bio.
Reached Monday, Griffiths confirmed he was representing Norwood but wouldn’t comment further. “We’re not commenting on the case,” Griffiths said.
Houston
8:12 am on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I don't think I could ever be a lawyer. How do you sleep at night knowing that the person you are representing is guilty and you are trying to get them off?
Banter
8:35 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
You could easily be a lawyer - just throw away any basic principles of human decency that you were taught by your parents and society. Then you wouldn't have any qualms about having a job as a lawyer.
Mark Gross
8:52 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I am not particularly fond of lawyers, but there are many who are much worse than the two representing Norwood. Everyone needs an advocate in our system. Before she is sentenced to life in prison, a jury needs to be certain that she's not insane.
olaz
1:14 am on Thursday, March 31, 2011
I worked with her two years ago, and spent time with her in a social setting, she seemed not only "normal" but very goody two shoes. This whole thing is just surreal.
LKK
4:31 pm on Thursday, March 31, 2011
It would be a little difficult to allow the "due process of law" occur without those nasty defense attorneys! The attorneys aren't necessarily going to try to convince a jury that she's insane or try to get her off. It seems more likely they will argue that the murder wasn't premeditated, so she will spend less time in prison.
I know one of her brothers and a lot of people that grew up with her and her siblings. I've heard only good things about the family. This is horrendous for all of them to deal with. If this was one of my siblings I would hire the best defense lawyers also -- I hope you would do the same for your family.