ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A judge set the trial date for accused killer Markeith Loyd for May 2019 in Orange County court Wednesday.
Loyd is accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon and her unborn baby as well as Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton.
Though the judge set the trial date for May 6, that doesn't mean it may not be moved later.
That's because Loyd’s attorneys are expected to raise more challenges to the death penalty case, as well as other issues that have not yet been presented before the court.
They may continue to raise legal questions about whether Dixon's unborn baby counts as a murder victim.
In court Wednesday, the defense raised the issue of use of force against Loyd during his arrest.
Watch the #MarkeithLoyd hearing live this morning:https://t.co/j9sm84GurY#WFTV pic.twitter.com/eQF3cpwGIv
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
The courtroom is quiet. We're awaiting the arrival of Judge Lauten. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
Judge Lauten just took the bench. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
the court is beginning with a motion filed by the defense alleging an unfair racial disparity in the administration of the #deathpenalty. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
Defense Attorney Ted Marrero says he wants to present a detailed statistical analysis on the issue and call a statistician and a social scientist to testify on the matter. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
Judge Lauten: “I’m trying to imagine what you could present that would cause me to rule differently than the established Supreme Court precedent.” #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
ASA Ric Ridgway: “It doesn’t meet the burden of proving that there’s a racial motivation of seeking the death penalty against Mr. Loyd.” #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
There's a second motion pertaining to jury selection for a #deathpenalty case and the notion that potential jurors should not be questioned on their death penalty beliefs until the potential punishment phase arrives in the case. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
MArrero says he has less to present on the jury selection issue. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
MArrero says he has less to present on the jury selection issue. #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
Judge Lauten says he's wanting to avoid further delays: “As we get close to trial, I want to try to resolve as many of these things as we can.” #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
Ridgway says Marrero and @TerryLenamon are essentially on a fishing expedition without knowing what happened within the grand jury: “So what [the witnesses] said or what might be in there is pure speculation, and the law says that’s not enough.” #WFTV
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) October 3, 2018
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