Pierre Haobsh — convicted last November in the March 2016 murders of Dr. Henry Han; Han’s wife, Jennie Yu; and their 5-year-old daughter, Emily, in their Santa Barbara home — was denied a request for new counsel on February 3 after filing the request ahead of his originally scheduled sentencing date of January 24.
Haobsh appeared in Judge Brian Hill’s courtroom last week to discuss the post-trial claim of “ineffective assistance of counsel,” which would set the groundwork for Haobsh to seek a new trial.
Judge Hill denied the request and set a new sentencing date for February 28. With the denial, Haobsh will continue to be represented by public defenders Christine Voss and Michael Hanley, whose attempts to raise reasonable doubt in the 2021 bench trial were outweighed by the mountain of evidence provided by prosecutors Benjamin Ladinig and Hilary Dozer. Haobsh was found guilty in November 2021 of all three murders, including all applicable enhancements for murder for financial gain and multiple murders, with Judge Hill presiding in the juryless bench trial.
Haobsh will still have the right to seek a new trial or appeal, according to Ladinig, but will have limited options leading up to the rescheduled sentencing date. He faces up to three life sentences.
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