Lawyer Michael DeBlis Secured for Cliffside Murder Defendant Michael Sampson’s Perjury Charges
By Mary K. Miraglia
HACKENSACK, N.J. (April 3, 2017) — Cases against Michael Sampson, the convicted murderer from Garfield, will move forward now that he has agreed on a replacement attorney to represent him.
Sampson was in court before Presiding Judge Margaret M. Foti Monday morning, April 3, with his new attorney, Michael DeBlis of Bloomfield, on a perjury indictment which arose out of his murder prosecution. He was supposed to be sentenced for that conviction March 10, but threw a monkey wrench into the proceedings by suing all of his lawyers the night before the hearing.
DeBlis said Monday he was unaware of the perjury indictment, but quickly agreed to handle it once Sampson told Foti he wants the veteran lawyer to represent him on both matters.
At the sentencing hearing last month, public defenders Ilene McFarland and director of the Bergen County public defender officer Louis Acevedo were pressed into service to replace Lawyer Robert N. Kalisch, Jr., Sampson’s trial attorney, at the sentencing hearing. They argued that the office could no longer represent Sampson because as colleagues, all of their associates were placed in a legal and ethical conflict.
Lawyer Miles Feinstein of Clifton had been Sampson’s lawyer on the perjury charge. He was also sued by Sampson, in papers the defendant prepared himself and had delivered to the courthouse Thursday, March 9, and also had to step down. Foti, saying she had no choice, postponed sentencing until April 28 and allowed Acevedo to reach out to DeBlis, a private attorney who often works as a public defense “pool attorney.”
Monday, Foti told Sampson there was confusion because he had refused to complete a “5A” form, a document requesting a court-appointed attorney. Once the question of DeBlis’ representation was settled, he said he would file the form.
DeBlis told Foti Sampson wants permission to contact Jacquelin Pierro, his estranged wife and mother of his two children. Pierro was a witness against Sampson at his trial for murdering Hector “Tito” Zabala Jr. in Cliffside Park in July, 2012, and there is currently a restraining order preventing him from contacting her.
Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Anthony Talarico objected, saying he hasn’t contacted Pierro for her consent.
“It wouldn’t be appropriate to speculate on what she may or may not say,” Talarico said. “I only got the letter today.”
He added, “Mr. Sampson’s mother was in court and I indicated she has permission to bring the children to the jail to visit.”
Foti said she would defer a ruling on the restraining order until the prosecutor can contact Pierro and determine her position.
