NORWICH – Two years since its appeal, the Peter M. Wlasiuk murder retrial has cost taxpayers about $150,000 in legal expenses.

Assigned Counsel Attorney Randel Scharf, of Cooperstown, has received $96,495.09 from the Public Defender’s Office for his services alone.

Scharf was assigned to the case by Broome County Court Judge Martin E. Smith from a preapproved panel created by the Chenango County Court system after the Public Defender’s Office was conflicted out of the case.

According to the court orders, Scharf began billing the county after the court assigned him on Aug. 2, 2007.

Another $27,279.59 was allocated to Wlasiuk’s appellate lawyer Linda Campbell for her work on the appeal and $25,716.19 was billed out for a private investigations firm, New Perspective Investigations.

Public Defender Alan E. Gordon requested an additional $50,000 from the county in last week’s Safety and Rules committee meeting. Gordon said the office only had $1,000 left in its assigned counsel budget and $12,000 was currently owed.