"D.C. Madam" Seeking Federal Funding

MARCH 29--Citing "irreconcilable personal and professional differences" between herself and her court appointed public defender, former Washington, D.C. madam Deborah Palfrey is now asking the court to hand over $500,000 for her to hire a private attorney.

In a motion filed today in U.S. District Court, Palfrey claims to have already met with a number of attorneys about handling her defense with their price tag running between $150,000 to $300,000 in fees' as well as another "$100,000 to $200,000 in investigatory fees." The bulk of the investigation money would be slated toward tracking down information about the phone records she claims to have kept on 15,000 johns and prostitutes.

Palfrey, 51, was indicted earlier this month on money laundering charges stemming from her operation of the Pamela Martin & Associates escort service, which closed last summer after 13 years in business. She was previously convicted of operating a prostitution business in California and spent 18 months in prison (where the adjacent mug shot was snapped). (3 pages)