OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused of killing three tourists in Osceola County could have to wait longer to find out if prosecutors will pursue the death penalty in his murder trial, if a judge agrees to a request filed this week.
Prosecutors asked the judge to waive a 45-day deadline for them to decide if the death penalty should be on the table for Ahmad Bojeh, who detectives said shot three men in Kissimmee in January.
Bojeh’s case has been troubled from the start because of competency issues.
The additional delay is happening because defense lawyers said they are having trouble communicating with witnesses who are in the Middle East.
The war is also preventing the witnesses from coming to the United States to testify and it’s preventing investigators from traveling there to look into unspecified matters, the filing said.
Attorneys for both sides of the case are in agreement it’s better to hear from these witnesses before a decision is made. The filing did not explain who the witnesses are or which city they’re located in.
“Lawyers may get case on paper and it may look a certain way, but you don’t know the real strength of the case until you get to see the witnesses,” attorney Rajan Joshi, who is not affiliated with the case, said.
Bojeh has a competency-related hearing in May. A trial date has not been scheduled.
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