This morning, five members of the group 1 Mind Ministries, which Baltimore police have called a cult, were arraigned in Baltimore Circuit Court by Judge Sylvester Cox. They are each charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in connection with the death of Javon Thompson, the 15-month-old baby was found in a suit case in Philadelphia.

This is a particularly horrible case. Authorities say the baby was killed in Baltimore at the hands of the religious group after being denied food and water because he wouldn't say amen after meals. After some inquiries by police and social service agencies, the group left Baltimore, allegedly with the suitcase containing the boy's remains. It was only after one boy's grandmother persisted in getting the attention of police in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York that the body was discovered and charges filed.

Most of the suspects pleaded not guilty this morning and had what most people charged wiith serious crirmes have when show up in court: lawyers.

But two women, Queen Antoinette, 40, the alleged leader, and Trevia Williams, 21, still have their legal representation in doubt. I wish I had been in court for this one, but I'll have to let you hear what happened from a good source:

Joe Sviatko, a spokesman for the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office, told me of this exchange between Antoinette, Williams and Judge Cox:

"Queen told the judge that she is represented. The judge asked by who and she said, 'I don't want to say.'"

Sviatko added: "Nobody has officially entered an appearance on behalf of these two."

That will no doubt change soon. The court will order attorneys to oversee the case and to hear what probably will be numerous challenges and motions about evidence and statements. The trial is scheduled for Jan. 28, plenty of time to get back on track. Declining to identify your attorney to the judge presiding over your murder trial is generally not considered a wise strategy.