Marshfield man denied public defender in clinic plot

A Marshfield man accused last week of attempting to kill health care providers at a Madison abortion clinic had two court proceedings Tuesday but made no progress in either. Ralph Lang, 63, appeared without an attorney for a preliminary hearing before Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan on a single count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Flanagan said Lang had too many assets to qualify for a free public defender and could either represent himself or hire an attorney. (WISCONSIN RAPIDS TRIBUNE, 6/8)