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Man accused in Cady Way killings wants speedy trial

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — In an unusual move, one of the two suspects accused of slaying two Orange County teenagers and then burning their bodies on the Cady Way Trail is wasting no time getting to trial.

On Friday, Jesse Davis' lawyer said they want to do it in November.

Davis and Hector Rodriguez are accused of shooting and killing Winter Park High School students 16-year-old Nicholas Presha and 18-year-old Jeremy Stewart, before burning their bodies along the Cady Way Trail in April.

Davis' previous attempt to convince a judge that he's not mentally competent to stand trial failed. Now, he seems to have no problem understanding his lawyer or the judges hearing this case and another where he is accused of attempted murder.

On Friday, Davis' lawyer made an unusual move and demanded his right to a speedy trial and said he wants to face a jury in less than two months.

"Why are you determined to try him on Nov. 5?"  asked WFTV's Kathi Belich.

"I can't comment on continuing cases," said Davis' lawyer.

Prosecutors said going for the death penalty is still being discussed as a possibility in the case.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said in this case it would be to Davis' advantage to force the state to rush to trial.

"You don't want to give the state a lot of time to consider the death penalty,and you don't want to give the state a lot of time to flip Rodriguez," said Sheaffer.

The Winter Park High School students' families were in court as they have been for every hearing.

In court Friday, Davis stated he wanted to delay on an attempted murder charge from an incident that happened before the Cady Way killings, until after his Nov. 5 murder trial.

The man Davis is accused of trying to kill by shooting him six times is recovering.

Rodriguez did not want to be tried with Davis and did not want to rush to trial, so his murder trial is scheduled for next May.