Port Orchard attorney Ron Ness will represent murder suspect David Michael Kalac during his trial set in January.

During the Nov. 21 hearing under Superior Court Judge Jeannette Dalton, Ness said he was asked to serve as the qualified counsel for Kalac by Clarke Tibbits, supervisor of the Kitsap County Public Defender Division.

Ness will join attorneys Kevin “Andy” Anderson and Mike Purves, from the Public Defender’s Office, to represent Kalac.

A Jan. 5 trial date has been set in the case.

Dalton listened to arguments from the prosecution and defense attorney concerning handwriting samples, dental impressions and other evidence for the trial.

Prosecutors had requested the judge to force Kalac to provide handwriting and other samples to be compared to evidence found at the crime scene.

Anderson said the defense would like to have their own experts or representatives present when gathering the additional evidence.

Deputy Prosecutor Robert Davy said the investigation is ongoing and the requests are “well within the rules.”

Davy said the court has the ability to request the suspect to submit need samples for evidence.

He said, as per reply, he is seeking three sets of dental impressions, photographs and handwriting samples because the investigation into Coplin’s death is not completed.

Anderson agreed that his client would provide the physical samples requested, but the defense should be allowed to videotape when the samples are taken.

The state is asking for photographs of Kalac’s teeth, but Anderson said prosecutors have not addressed why they are needed and to have their own experts in attendance.

Anderson said the defense is not against Kalac providing handwriting samples.

“It seems reasonable that there is certain handwriting piece of evidence described in the discovery that the defendant be asked to write those things out,” Anderson said. “There needs to be some clarity to precisely what he is supposed to do.”

He said that the prosecution is requesting handwriting samples with his biographical information or numbers.

“The defendant can be compelled by the court to provide a handwriting sample,” Anderson said.

During the hearing, Kalac was escorted along the east side of the courtroom, while members of Coplin’s family sat in the audience. Kalac looked straight ahead and occasionally at his attorneys.

Kalac’s next court appearance is Dec. 5.

He pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge in the death of his live-in girlfriend, Amber Coplin, a 30-year-old mother of five. She was found dead in her South Kitsap apartment on Nov. 4 and Kalac was arrested the following day in Wilsonville, Ore.

He allegedly posted photographs of Coplin and the crime scene on the Internet, along with comments about the crime.

Bail was set at $2 million.