In an unusual ruling Wednesday, a Denver judge said that a man who is representing himself in an attempted-murder case is lying, manipulative and "playing the court system like a fine musical instrument."

Jimmie Wellman, who is set for trial April 2 on charges in the beating of a woman at the Adam's Mark Hotel in February 2006, has forfeited his right to an advisory attorney and investigator, said Denver District Judge Herbert Stern. But the judge refused to delay the trial, saying that Wellman's "shenanigans" already have the case headed for appeal.

The issue arose after Susan Martin, appointed as advisory counsel after Wellman fired his public defender, filed a motion to withdraw from the case.

She and investigator Creseda Riccardi said that Wellman had been deceiving the court and delaying preparation of his case because he thought he could get the case continued or dismissed. He "is of the mistaken belief that he can conduct this case as trial by ambush," Martin said.

Referring to another investigator, Kasey Campbell, who was put on the case to help Wellman in a limited capacity, Martin said she felt that the case "had been hijacked by a rogue investigator and her psychic partner who would take no direction" from either herself or Riccardi.

Martin said that Campbell exceeded her authority, helped Wellman deceive the court and involved her partner, Norma Mitchell, without authorization.

Mitchell described herself as an "intuitive counselor" who said she can discern the true intent behind what people say and write. Martin said Mitchell told her that her psychic abilities told her that Wellman was not guilty and that a "grave injustice" was occurring.

Campbell and Mitchell denied any wrongdoing and said that Martin's motion was "inaccurate, misleading and false in its entirety." But Martin said the two conducted unauthorized investigations and brought a phone and computer to jail visits with Wellman, in violation of jail policies and court orders.

Wellman previously was cited for contempt of court for intimidating a witness in the case through repeated phone calls."You might have fallen flat on your face," Judge Stern told Wellman. "You have forfeited your right to advisory counsel and a court-appointed investigator. You have lied and manipulated and misbehaved in subtle and clever ways for months and months and months."

The judge said this was the first time in 17 years on the bench that he had seen anything like the documents Martin submitted in her motion that detailed Wellman's abuse of the system.