Lorenzo returns to court, combative as ever

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Steven Lorenzo was back in court and back to his old tactics Monday: Combative and stubborn, making it clear that the notorious murder defendant wants to represent himself and doesn't want any help.

"I'm not discussing my case with them,” said Lorenzo.  “I'm not even willing to talk to them.”

Despite that, Judge Mark Kiser has appointed two stand-by attorneys and Lorenzo is not happy about it.

"I do not want them on my side here,” he insisted.

Judge Kiser wants to make sure all the discovery in the case, which is all the evidence against Lorenzo, is sent to the jail for him to review.  But Lorenzo is digging in his heels and say he won't look it until the judge gets rid of the standby attorneys

"You could choose to look it or not look at it," said Judge Kiser.

But Lorenzo interrupted him.  “I won't accept it.  I just wont accept it.”

Prosecutors say Lorenzo and coconspirator Scott Schweickert terrorized the Bay Area gay community in in 2003.  They say Lorenzo lured Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz to his home in Seminole Heights, then drugged, tortured and killed them.

Last year -- 14 years after the murders -- Schweickert cut a deal with the state and got life in prison.  Months later, Lorenzo was indicted on murder charges and now faces the death penalty, if convicted.

But a year after the indictments, the case has stalled and the judge doesn't like it.

"There’s really nothing that’s been done about it to move this along, so I'm getting concerned about dispos happening with really nothing that furthers it along," continued Kiser.

Lorenzo is back in court in May.