Trial delayed as Courtney Love sacks lawyer

A trial date for one of Courtney Love’s two criminal cases has been delayed after she told the judge she had sacked her lawyer because he wanted her to plead guilty.

Love’s new lawyer, Michael Rosenstein, said he needed time to familiarise himself with the case in which Love is charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance. Judge Patricia Schnegg rescheduled the trial for March 8.

The 39-year-old singer-actress told the judge she dismissed lawyer William Genego because “he wanted me to plead guilty to something I didn’t do”.

Love was charged with the misdemeanour offence after police officers said they discovered her trying to smash the windows of a former boyfriend’s house.

After being released on bail, she returned to her Beverly Hills home but later was taken by ambulance to a treatment centre for an overdose.

During that incident, police said they discovered the painkillers hydrocodone and oxycodone.

Love was charged with two felony counts of illegal possession of controlled substances. She awaits a March 16 preliminary hearing in that case.