‘There’s no one here that is God, correct?’ Pleasanton man, charged with murdering mom, becomes his own lawyer

DUBLIN — Before his arrest on murder charges, 32-year-old Malcolm Tilley earned “one-half” of a bachelor’s degree and worked in the hospitality and manufacturing fields, according to a form he filled out from behind bars.

Now, the Pleasanton man can add “self-lawyering” to his list of professions. Charged with murder for allegedly butchering his mother during an argument about his station in life, Tilley decided to navigate the complicated waters of criminal law by himself. Anyone charged...