Ex-convict’s multiple cases conflict out all NMI lawyers

An ex-convict’s long list of pending and prior court cases may prompt the Superior Court to bring in an attorney from Guam because all his cases have conflicted out all on-island attorneys.

Calistro A. Crisostimo, 28, appeared for his preliminary hearing yesterday afternoon, but the hearing did not push through because he has not been appointed a lawyer.

“Mr. Crisostimo, you have done the impossible!” associate judge Joseph N. Camacho said, adding that this is his first time to encounter a case where a defendant has conflicted out all lawyers in the Commonwealth.

Assistant attorney general Russell Lorfing agreed, saying, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Reading from a list, Camacho cited the suspect’s six criminal cases, three temporary restraining orders, three juvenile cases, two family court cases, and 20 traffic cases.

Camacho said the court may have to consider hiring an attorney from Guam because all of Crisostimo’s cases have conflicted out the on-island lawyers.

That means all lawyers in the CNMI have, at one point or another, represented Crisostimo, his co-defendants, victims, or witnesses. And that means they can no longer represent him due to conflict of interest.

The CNMI Bar Association has about 150 lawyers, including those from the government and off-island.

Attorney Richard Pierce is already representing Crisostimo in a pending criminal case. He can’t take this new case because he will be representing a client at trial in a district court case.

Attorney Anthony G. Long is counsel for Crisostimo in an active revocation criminal case, but he is off-island.

Judge Camacho denied bail for Crisostimo yesterday and remanded him to the Department of Corrections.

Police arrested Crisostimo on Jan. 13 for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to steal a vehicle and sell its parts.

The Office of the Attorney General charged Crisostimo with theft of vehicle, tampering with vehicle, conspiracy to commit theft, illegal possession of controlled substance, attempted bribery, theft, and three counts of criminal contempt.

The preliminary hearing was originally set for Jan. 26, but the suspect still had no appointed counsel as attorney Pierce apparently never received a notice of his appointment.

The preliminary hearing was continued to yesterday. The court, however, still could not find any on-island lawyer for the defendant.