Confusing Retaining and Detaining Counsel: Criminal Defendant Kidnaps and Robs His Own Lawyer

Indiana attorney Thomas Hamer found himself transformed from the lawyer to the hostage of his client, Richard Hudson, 52. Accused of of a misdemeanor domestic battery violations, Hudson was supposed to report to jail when he pulled a knife on his lawyer. His brilliant act of self-representation has now transformed a misdemeanor into charges of kidnapping and robbery — among other possible counts.

The kidnapping occurred when Hamer was driving Hudson to a court hearing in Indianapolis and then to jail. Putting a knife to Hamer’s throat, Hudson took the lawyer and his SUV on an escape. He told Hamer to drive to a cemetery and said that he would kill his girlfriend and then himself. He ended up tied up in the car and left in a forest preserve.

Not only are police now looking for Hudson, who is looking at a life sentence, but he has lost his attorney — who is now a witness.

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