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The strange case of Mike Echols took an even stranger twist Thursday when the crusader against pedophilia ignored his attorney's advice and gave an impassioned speech in court defending himself against charges of trespassing and indecent exposure.

Echols' testimony appeared to have little effect on Monterey County Superior Court Judge Lydia Villareal, who ruled that he had violated the terms of his probation when he failed to appear in court Nov. 22 to face the misdemeanor charges.

Echols, 58, was put on probation about two years ago after serving 60 days of a six-month sentence for making terrorist threats against employees and administrators of the Monterey-Salinas Transit system.

Echols, whose full name is Walter Harlan Echols II, is the founder of a child advocacy group known as Better a Millstone and is known for his book "I Know My First Name is Steven." The book chronicles the case of Steven Stayner, the Merced boy who was kidnapped at age 7 and sexually abused for years.

Echols currently faces charges of indecent exposure and trespassing stemming from two separate incidents that have been consolidated into one case. The trial is set for Dec. 16.

He disputes the charges, which arose from an incident at the old Fort Ord military installation on March 17 and an incident on a Monterey-Salinas Transit bus in October.

Throughout the court hearing Thursday, Echols argued with his attorney, David Brown, and was asked to calm down by the judge and the bailiff during several outbursts.

Earlier in the day, Echols demanded that Brown be replaced, but Villarreal ruled that Brown should stay.

The Fort Ord incident stems from an apparent dispute with Presidio of Monterey police officers who say Echols had parked his car on the property and refused to leave after several warnings.

After being cited for trespassing and obstructing an officer, Echols was transported to the edge of the Fort Ord property and released, according to Officer John Chapman. At that point, Chapman testified, Echols dropped his pants and waved his genitalia at him. Echols denies it.

In the bus incident, Salinas police say they were asked to escort Echols off the bus after a dispute with the driver over the fare. Echols refused to leave, according to Salinas Police Sgt. Don Cline, and was cited for trespassing.

While escorting him from the bus, Echols again lost his trousers. Cline said Echols walked off the bus with his pants at his ankles.

Echols was convicted two years ago of making threats against Monterey-Salinas Transit officials and employees. He spent two months in jail and was ordered not to ride the bus or contact MST officials.

Echols told Villarreal on Thursday that the current charges against him were trumped-up.

He said he had been given 72 hours to remove his vehicle from Fort Ord and was in the process of taking the car away when he was cited by Presidio police. He also said that he never exposed himself to officers, but that his pants had ripped when he fell while officers were trying to handcuff him.

Echols also said a judge had lifted the restraining order forbidding him from boarding MST buses in January. He also insisted that he had paid the proper fare for a trip to Castroville.

Deputy District Attorney Rolando Mazariegos told Villarreal his office has no record of a judge lifting the restraining order.

Echols testified for five minutes, despite vigorous arguments by Brown that anything Echols could say is likely to damage Echols' jury trial on the charges later this month.

Brown told Villarreal that he would not question his client if he took the witness stand. Villarreal eventually allowed Echols five minutes of "narrative" testimony.

In his closing arguments, Mazariegos described Echols as a "danger" to society, citing "the disregard Mr. Echols has shown this court and the disregard he has for the laws of California. He has no respect for anything but his own individual interests."

Villarreal said she would determine an "appropriate" sentence for the probation violation when Echols next appears in court for a pre-trial hearing Dec. 12.

Mazariegos said prosecutors are asking the judge to sentence Echols to at least 180 days in jail for the probation violation.
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