MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WTAQ) - A man charged with killing 7 female prostitutes in Milwaukee will get a new lawyer. Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet agreed Wednesday morning to let 49-year-old Walter Ellis drop defense attorney Russell Jones – even though she said Jones was doing a good job, and his next court-appointed lawyer is likely to have fewer resources to represent him.

Ellis claims he did not have enough contact with Jones – and when they did get together, Jones didn’t talk about the case. Wednesday’s action most likely means that a trial scheduled for May 3rd will be delayed. Ellis has pleaded not guilty to murder and homicide charges in the deaths of 7 women in Milwaukee from 1986 through 2007. The slayings all took place within a few blocks of each other.