Defendant gets another delay and a warning

First, she was sent a $2.6 million check in error by the state.

Next, she went on a spending spree, snapping up jewelry, multiple luxury cars, electronics and retirement accounts, according to a criminal complaint.

Now, 38-year-old Sabrina Walker of Minneapolis is being chastised by a Hennepin County District judge for engaging a revolving door of defense lawyers and delaying her trial.

"The manipulation is too much," Judge Marilyn Rosenbaum said to Walker and her new lawyer, Eric Olson, in a brief hearing Wednesday.

Walker and her former boyfriend Charles Lockhart, 29, were charged in May 2007 with four felonies: theft by swindle, loss of property, failure to pay over state funds and concealing criminal proceeds.

Her trial was to start Monday and Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Emery Adoradio said he was ready to go.

But Walker wanted to change lawyers -- again.

Initially, she was represented by former federal prosecutor Mark Larsen, now of Lindquist and Vennum, but he asked to withdraw for unknown reasons. Rosenbaum allowed him to do so.

Walker then was represented by two public defenders, who Rosenbaum said were well-qualified to represent Walker, but "she chose to discharge" them. The judge said she warned Walker -- "many, many" times -- that if she fired her public defenders, there would be no delays in the trial.

Most recently, Walker was representing herself. Rosenbaum said she spoke with Walker and Walker indicated she did not understand plea offers made to her by the state. "It is to everyone's advantage that Ms. Walker is represented," Rosenbaum said.

Olson, however, was only willing to represent Walker if the trial was delayed. Rosenbaum said the trial will now start July 29, with a pretrial hearing on July 28.

"You're not leaving the building without filing a certificate of representation," the judge told Olson. "And you understand there's not going to be another extension or change?"

A check meant for HCMC

The case is already more than a year old and attracted widespread media attention when it first came to light. In contrast, a former University of Minnesota football player charged with sexual assault last summer has already stood trial before the same judge.

This saga started in March 2007, when the state Department of Human Services mistakenly sent to Walker's home a $2.6 million check that should have gone to Hennepin County Medical Center. Walker and Lockhart allegedly went on a spending spree, buying five luxury cars including a 1969 Buick Electra and two Land Rovers, jewelry, stereo equipment, individual retirement accounts and a U.S. treasury bond worth $500,000.

Last month, Lockhart made a deal with the state on the criminal matters in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors. A charge of theft by swindle was continued without a plea provided he stays out of trouble for one year. In exchange, he agreed to provide information about Walker's actions.

He also agreed to court-ordered restitution of nearly $22,000 related to specific withdrawals of the money he made. Adoradio declined to say whether Lockhart will testify against Walker, who was put on unpaid leave from her job at Hopkins High School when the charges were filed.