A former NIU student convicted of shooting another student outside of an NIU dorm last February is asking a judge to replace his attorneys. Zachary Isaacman filed the motion on Jan. 6.

In his motion, Isaacman stated his attorneys were difficult to contact and did not meet with him until the third day of the trial.

He also wrote, his attorneys failed to recover the property of the victim, Brian Mulder, while he was at the hospital to prove Mulder had a knife in his possession at the time of the shooting. Isaacman also claimed three witnesses were not subpoenaed by his attorney to testify that he acted in self-defense.

A jury found Isaacman guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon on Dec. 17, 2010. Shortly after he was convicted, his attorney Michelle Gonzalez said she planned on requesting a new trial.

“But you don’t automatically get one,” said Stephanie Klein, the assistant state’s attorney of DeKalb,

She said the request was “very standard for when someone is found guilty.”

Klein said that in Illinois, the penalty could range anywhere from six to 30 years in prison.

Isaacman was arrested on Feb. 19, 2010 for shooting Mulder in the leg. Mulder was shot outside Stevenson North after denying Isaacman access to the building.

Isaacman testified that he shot Mulder out of self-defense because Mulder had knife. The defense also brought into question Mulder’s ability to remember the events of the incident because he admitted to police he consumed marijuana and alcohol prior to being shot. The jury found Isaacman guilty in about four hours. Forensic experts testified during the trial the shell casing found at the scene matched a gun owned by Isaacman.

Isaacman’s motion will be heard on Jan. 27, and a sentence is scheduled to be given on Feb. 3.