For more than a year, lawyers for Darryl Littlejohn, the beefy bouncer accused in the horrific murder of criminal-justice grad student Imette St. Guillen, begged the trial judge to step aside.
Now she has – sort of.
Gov. Spitzer on Jan. 15 appointed Judge Cheryl Chambers to the state Appellate Division, a promotion that requires leaving behind all pending cases.
“I’m happy for her . . . [but] I probably shouldn’t count my blessings because I don’t know who we’re getting,” said defense lawyer Joyce David, who had cited Chambers’ alleged pro-prosecution reputation in her recusal request.
The two sides are schedule to confer tomorrow. Court spokesman David Bookstaver said the case would be reassigned to another judge before then.
Littlejohn, 43, is accused of abducting, raping and killing St. Guillen, 24, a John Jay College grad student, on Feb. 25, 2006, after kicking her out of the since-shuttered SoHo bar The Falls at closing time.