Interesting about Strolla quitting. I found him to be a pretty good def lawyer. I wonder if he could have continued to defend Dunn if he was willing to accept what the state pays? Perhaps he just doesn't want to waste his time with that looser Dunn.
Completely MOO only, but he did better than I expected, too. That being said, it just wouldn't make sense financially for Strolla to continue. Even if he was paid scale by the PD office, he'd have to pro bono his travel expenses or something for the 2.5-3 hour drive from Brevard County to Duval County. Plus, if the venue of the retrial were changed, it would probably remain in the 4th judicial circuit of Florida, which would mean either Nassau or Clay counties, and both are just as inconvenient as Duval for him.
From the intangible, attorney reputation-buillding perspective, Strolla made the publicity he neeeded from successfully avoiding the murder conviction the first time around. Sticking around for the new trial would be a situation of diminishing personal returns. There's more downside than upside for him to risk defending it a second time around. Refocusing on his practice in Brevard County makes a lot more sense than trying to work a financial arrangement to continue on with a broke client that's nowhere near his home base. Plus I'd guess that if the new defense needs his insights and suggestions, he can probably make money ad hoc as a consultant with the defense without leaving home or losing more time away from his practice.
As an aside, personally, I'm guessing that the defense will try for a change of venue for the retrial - they'll blame the local publicity, but if they move further away from Jacksonville, their odds are better of landing in a less urbanized, less diverse county, and more conservative county in northern Florida. The defense might therefore see a change of venue as an opportunity to get an even more conservative jury pool than the first time around. I'd be surprised if it succeeded, but I'd be very surprised if they don't try for it.
Again, strictly MOO and my own personal conjectures.
