NY man accused of beheading claims he was battered

BUFFALO, NY Muzzammil Hassan was in a Buffalo courtroom Friday, where he fired the lawyer who has been representing him for nearly a year and hired a new one with a different strategy.

New lawyer Frank Bogulski says he'll pursue a battered-person defense.

Hassan's previous lawyer had planned to argue emotional distress prompted the February killing of 37-year-old Aasiya Hassan in offices of the suburban Buffalo television station.

Prosecutors say the case has dragged on too long and they want the judge to bar any psychiatric defense.