PASCO — Lawyers for a man charged with helping his brother gun down a Pasco couple were told today they must continue to represent him.

Judge Carrie Runge denied a defense motion to withdraw in the case of Jose Garcia-Morales.

Runge said the court has determined previously Garcia-Morales is competent and is choosing not to actively participate in the legal proceedings.

The judge also said if she allowed Shelley Ajax and Moe Spencer to withdraw because of a lack of communication between the attorneys and their client, the court would have difficulty getting another lawyer to take on the case after that finding.

Garcia-Morales is scheduled for trial March 14 in Franklin County Superior Court. He is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

Prosecutors allege Garcia-Morales went with his older brother, Ramon, to confront Alfredo Garcia in December 2008.

Garcia was fatally shot and his wife, Maria Ramirez de Garcia, was wounded.

For more on this story and other court news, read Wednesday's Herald and tricityherald.com.