Local

September trial date set for alleged Orange Co. school shooter

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County judge granted a defense request Wednesday to delay the trial of the West Orange High School shooting suspect.

He set the case for the pre-trial on Sept. 17, but the actual trial for 17-year-old J’Morian Bell is likely to begin Sept. 29.

Bell was kept in jail and didn’t attend court.

The victim’s mother, Jamiya Ford, was present in court.

She said the recovery of her son, Ja’Roderick Smith, 15, has been a struggle.

“I re-live it every day,” she said. “I try not to talk about it.”

Ford said her son’s recovery from the three gunshot wounds last December suffered a setback because one of the bullets remains lodged in his body.

Bell isn’t the only person soon to face trial.

Smith’s attorney said he’s waiting to receive some final pieces of evidence before a possible lawsuit is filed against Orange County Public Schools.

“As soon as the investigators and lawyers review that, we’ll be in a better position to find out who we will sue, if we sue anybody,” said attorney Gary Siplin.

Ford said she’s anxious to see justice served for her son.