Fluker, charged in murder of Belleville boy, hires big-leaguer Scott Rosenblum

Marquise was shot in the head on July 11 in a drive-by shooting. Marquise, who lived in the 300 block of Derbyshire Drive in Swansea, was shot in the yard of 502 N. Fourth St. in Belleville. Witnesses told police a white car drove by, and someone sprayed a group of teens with gunfire, striking Marquise in the head.

Rosenblum said he intends to wage a “vigorous defense” for Fluker. Rosenblum also refuted a claim that Fluker belongs to a street gang, the Gangster Disciples.

“That’s just silly,” Rosenblum said.

During his arraignment just days after the murder, St. Clair County Associate Judge Vince Lopinot appointed the public defender’s office to represent Fluker.

Fluker’s father, Marlon E. Fluker Sr., was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and mob action in connection with Marquise’s death. He allegedly was in the vehicle, armed with a baseball bat. The senior Fluker was a Belleville sanitation worker, but was fired after Griffin’s murder. His case is pending.

Rosenblum also filed a a request Wednesday for the police reports in the case.

Rosenblum represents high-profile clients, such as professional baseball and football players and rap artists. He represented East Alton political lawyer and Madison County politico L. Thomas Lakin, who faced federal drug and child sex charges.

More recently, Rosenblum received a “not guilty” verdict from a Madison County jury in the sexual assault case against Chicago attorney Meanith Huon, who was accused of forcing a sexual act from a woman who responded to a Craigslist ad for promotional work.

Rosenblum was once voted Missouri’s best political lawyer to call if you are charged with murder. He has tried more than a hundred murder cases in his career.

Fluker, 22, remains in the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail.

Rosenblum’s previous clients include:

* East Alton political lawyer and political shot-caller L. Thomas Lakin against federal charges, including providing drugs to minors and taking a boy across state lines to have sex with him. Lakin pleaded guilty to the drug charge and is currently serving a six-year prison sentence.

* St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese in a driving under the influence case in Maryland Heights, Mo.

* St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little, who was accused of drunk driving in 2005. A jury acquitted Little. Seven years earlier, Rosenblum represented Little when he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 1998 drunken-driving crash that killed a woman. Little was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

* St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, who was sued by the mother of his three children. She accused Faulk of beating her. Faulk won the case.

* Waterloo alderman Mike Augustine, who was accused of setting his pizza business on fire. Augustine was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.

* Former gas station owner Guy Westmoreland, who was accused of conspiring to kill Debra Abeln, the wife of his drug-trafficking partner, Richard Abeln. Westmoreland is serving life without parole.

* Christopher Vaughn of Oswego, awaiting trial on charges of murdering his wife and children in northern Illinois.