Photo by Mark Leffingwell

Defendant Diego Olmos Alcalde, right, talks with public defenders Seth Temin, center, and Yasmin Forouzandeh, left, before a hearing at the Boulder County Justice Center Thursday, Sept. 4.

The man charged with the beating death of University of Colorado student Susannah Chase more than a decade ago asked for new counsel Thursday, postponing his arraignment yet again.

Diego Olmos Alcalde, 39, was scheduled to enter a plea in the case but ended up dumping his two lawyers from the public defenders office -- Seth Temin and Yasmin Forouzandeh.

“I can’t work with them,” said Alcalde, who wore a blue jail uniform over a white shirt in the court room.

Temin told Boulder District Judge James Klein that he had reached an impasse with his client.

“Mr. Alcalde is refusing to work with us, so at this point we have no choice,” he said.

The judge told Alcalde he would appoint a lawyer for him either today or Friday, but warned him that if he couldn’t work things out with the new counsel he would have to hire a private attorney or represent himself.

“If I appoint counsel, you get one more shot, that’s it,” Klein said.

Alcalde, a Chilean native who has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, was arrested in January after his DNA matched genetic material found on Chase, who was last seen alive walking home alone after getting late-night pizza with her boyfriend on Dec. 21, 1997.

Chase, 23, was found in an alley near her Spruce Street home -- brutally beaten, raped and left for dead. She later succumbed to her injuries.

District Attorney Mary Lacy also attended Thursday's court hearing and urged Klein to appoint a lawyer for Alcalde quickly so that the case wouldn’t be delayed much further.

Klein made it clear to Alcalde that he didn’t want any more postponements.

“At the next arraignment, I am going to expect a plea one way or another. Okay?” the judge said.

Klein set Sept. 18 as the date Alcalde must enter a plea.