Theodore J. Kaczynski tried publicly to dismiss his lawyers today because they would not abandon assertions that he is suffering from mental illness.

When Judge Vinson denied such a defense on Tuesday, Mr. Hill dismissed his lawyers.

And with Mr. Kaczynski saying he wants to dismiss his lawyers, it is not clear that they would have the power to negotiate on his behalf.

His demands to dismiss his court-appointed lawyers also raised serious, appealable issues.

Immediately after the ruling, the defendant dismissed his two court-appointed lawyers and announced that he would represent himself.

Then Mr. Ferguson balked and dismissed his lawyers, and the trial took a bizarre turn.

As the trial got under way, Jiang Qing dismissed her assigned lawyers, deciding instead to represent herself.

He dismissed his lawyers.

In May 2005, he dismissed his lawyers who were trying to keep him alive.

Late last year he dismissed his lawyers, dropped his appeals and, as a consequence, leaped to the head of the queue of prisoners awaiting execution.