WILKES-BARRE – One of two men accused of killing a gay porn producer is getting new attorneys.

A Luzerne County judge on Friday appointed attorneys from outside the public defender’s office to defend Joseph Kerekes on homicide charges in connection with the slaying of Bryan Kocis.

Kerekes’ co-defendant, Harlow Cuadra, will still be represented by public defenders.

The move came after attorney Jonathan Blum, a public defender, asked for attorneys outside his office to represent the men because of potential conflicts of interest with his office defending both men.

Kerekes and Cuadra face homicide and other charges in the Jan. 24 slaying of the Dallas Township man.

Investigators claim Cuadra, 26, and Kerekes, 33, killed Kocis, their rival in the gay porn industry, inside Kocis’ Midland Drive home and then set the home on fire. Kocis, 44, was found dead by firefighters.

Assistant district attorneys Mike Melnick, Tim Doherty, Shannon Crake, and William Dunn are seeking the death penalty.

Public defenders had been representing both men.

According to Blum’s court papers filed Friday, having public defenders represent both men creates a significant conflict of interest because the men, at trial, could accuse the other as the principal killer.

Also, Blum wrote, he and Al Flora Jr. had represented Kocis in the past. Flora is the county’s first assistant public defender.

Blum wanted outside attorneys appointed for both men but Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark Ciavarella opted to appoint outside attorneys for only Kerekes.

Ciavarella appointed attorneys John Pike, Mark Bufalino, and Shelley Centini to defend Kerekes.

They are attorneys on the Luzerne County payroll and not associated with the public defender’s office. They are provided to indigent defendants who have a conflict of interest with the public defenders. SOURCE

Interesting turn of events eh? Is this really fair?