CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Brian Lamont Turner, who is facing over a dozen human trafficking and prostitution charges, has decided to represent himself.

“In almost every situation where defendants representing himself or herself, in a major felony case especially, it hurts them,” said legal analyst Scott Goodman.

Police say Turner targeted young women with drug problems and used drugs to control them and force them into commercial sex dates up and down the East Coast.

Court records show there was a total breakdown in communication with Turner and his public defender.

“It could be a situation where they want to testify about something that the lawyers don't want them to use as a defense,” Goodman said, “Ultimately, the defendants call if he wasn't on his defense in that way, and have a lawyer can't in good conscience, do it for any number of reasons, then the lawyer has to withdraw.”

Goodman said he could be trying to mess up his case on purpose.

“Sometimes that's the defendant's best defense. That is, I really am going to be found guilty, but I want to sort of gum up the works and create some problems for the appellate courts to look at and maybe get an appeal,” he said.

Turner had a special hearing to become his own lawyer. Goodman said that's so judges have it on record that the defendant knows all of the work they are responsible for.

“They don't know what grounds to state to make an objection. And so, they could really have evidence coming against them that a lawyer would be able to keep out to protect them,” he said.