Veteran criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent Norristown man facing retrial in 1980 homicide

NORRISTOWN — A veteran legal defense law firm was appointed by a choose to characterize Robert Fisher, the Norristown man dealing with a retrial on costs he fatally shot his ex-girlfriend in 1980, in the celebration Fisher does not receive his have attorney.

Thomas C. Egan III, perfectly-known in Montgomery County authorized circles, was appointed by Decide Todd Eisenberg to signify Fisher, according to a courtroom buy.

Earlier this 7 days, Fisher, who was set to represent himself at his retrial, sought a delay as jury assortment was about to start out, stating he experienced a change of heart and required a law firm to signify him.

Fisher, 75, who just 3 months in the past told the judge he wished to signify himself right after acquiring disagreements with two past court docket-appointed attorneys, claimed on Tuesday that he experienced been in get in touch with with “several people today in the lawful community” who might be intrigued in symbolizing him if they are compensated, adding he necessary a number of weeks to finalize that representation.

Hearing no objection from prosecutors, Eisenberg granted the demo postponement but added he was heading to appoint a law firm to depict Fisher in the interim in situation Fisher is unable to use his personal attorney. Eisenberg is anticipated to maintain a listening to later this month to established a new date for Fisher’s retrial.

Very last September, Eisenberg declared a mistrial soon after a jury indicated it was “hopelessly deadlocked” and could not get to a verdict at Fisher’s retrial in link with the alleged July 10, 1980, fatal shooting of 26-12 months-outdated Collegeville native Linda Rowden, who was Fisher’s ex-girlfriend at the time, as she drove her car alongside DeKalb Avenue in the vicinity of Basin Avenue.

It was the third evidentiary demo for Fisher after his former to start with-degree murder convictions, at trials in September 1988 and August 1991, had been overturned by appellate courts.

Fisher also is the only person in Pennsylvania sentenced to death 3 occasions and just about every of these sentences also was overturned by increased courts.

Initial Assistant District Lawyer Edward F. McCann Jr. and co-prosecutor Tanner Beck are dealing with the case.

Fisher, previously of the 600 block of DeKalb Street, is charged with 1st- and third-degree murder in connection with Rowden’s demise.

During the retrial, prosecutors are not seeking a demise sentence, but life imprisonment if Fisher is convicted of initial-diploma murder, which is an intentional killing.

McCann and Beck have argued Fisher acted with intent when he fatally shot Rowden with a handgun that as soon as belonged to Rowden’s father.

Prosecutors argued an indignant Fisher killed Rowden to protect against her from giving details to law enforcement that could backlink Fisher to the 1980 murder of Nigel Anderson, a witness who experienced been scheduled to testify in a federal heroin situation. Additionally, two days in advance of she was murdered, Rowden reported to Norristown law enforcement that Fisher assaulted her.

Fisher right away fled from Norristown to New York Metropolis just after the killing, adjusted his identify and took on a new identification, according to testimony. Fisher was not apprehended until finally 1987 in New York.

Fisher was very first convicted of Rowden’s murder in September 1988 and was sentenced to loss of life. To acquire that conviction, prosecutors relied on Fisher’s past conviction in federal courtroom of violating Nigel Anderson’s civil legal rights.

In 1990, the state Supreme Court overturned the county murder conviction immediately after a federal decide overturned Fisher’s federal civil rights conviction.

Fisher was then retried for Rowden’s murder in August 1991, convicted and sentenced to death a 2nd time.

Nonetheless, in June 1996, the state Supreme Courtroom, while upholding the murder conviction, dominated Fisher need to acquire a new penalty hearing because jurors at his 1991 demo had been improperly authorized to listen to sufferer impact testimony from Rowden’s mother.

Immediately after a new penalty hearing in June 1997, Fisher was sentenced to death a third time.

But in late 2019, U.S. District Court docket Decide Gene E.K. Pratter overturned Fisher’s conviction, ruling a county judge’s instruction on “reasonable doubt” and an illustration of the idea the decide recited throughout the 1991 trial was “constitutionally deficient” and “fatally flawed” and that Fisher’s attorney need to have objected to the instruction. Pratter concluded Fisher’s constitutional rights had been violated by the instruction.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld Pratter’s selection on Jan. 17, 2020, sending Fisher’s situation again to county court docket for the retrial.

Fisher’s 1997 demise sentence also was overturned with Pratter ruling the aggravating component relied on by prosecutors at the time was improperly utilized.