UPDATE: Man accused of killing RPD officer gets new attorney

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Kelvin Vickers, who is accused of killing Rochester police Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz, has a new attorney.

Vickers appeared in court on Friday morning. His original public defender has an ethical conflict and can no longer represent him. His new defense attorney is Mike Schiano. Schiano recently represented one of the RPD officers named in the Daniel Prude case.

Vickers is charged with the murder of Officer Mazurkiewicz, along with wounding Officer Sino Seng and a 15-year-old girl, during a July 21 ambush. The officers were investigating an organized marijuana trade at the time. He also faces charges for the murder of two other men in Rochester and wounding a third.

See more of our coverage:

• Gang-affiliated drug war exposed by RPD included shootings, murders and arson over marijuana (Oct 5)
• RPD: Alleged cop killer hired to kill rival gang members in an ongoing marijuana drug war (Oct 4)
• RPD says Kelvin Vickers came to Rochester alongside others to kill rival marijuana dealers (Oct 4)
• Kelvin Vickers, accused of killing RPD officer, was back in court on two other murder charges (Sept 29)
• Father believes murders of his son and RPD’s Mazurkiewicz have deeper connections to the same man from Boston (Sept 28)
• Family of accused cop killer speaks publicly for the first time and complains about jail conditions (Aug 31)
• Vickers indicted by grand jury in shooting death of Officer Mazurkiewicz (July 27)
• What we know about the killing of Officer Mazurkiewicz and the man charged (July 21)

RPD said that Vickers came from Boston to Rochester because an accused drug ring leader, Brandon Washington, recruited him to kill rival gang members in an ongoing marijuana drug war.

Washington is due in Monroe County Court on November 1.