[sportscurmudgeon]

The judge in this case did not do himself or the judicial process any favors.

When the defendant fired his lawyer recently, the judge warned him that there would be no postponement in the trial. Now, the judge has granted a postponement.

Now, since it will be July until the prosecutor can figure out when he might be available in September/October to stage the trial, it is perfectly possible that the date could be pushed even further back in the event that the prosecutor's calendar and the defense attorney's calendar do not mesh.

Obviously, the judge is perfectly within his authorities to move the date back for this trial, but given his statement to the defendant and the subsequent postponement, there is no reason to believe that the defendant will not try this tactic again in the future. It didn't cost him anything the last time...