Markeith Loyd’s attorney seeks pay bump for jurors in trial for slain Orlando police officer

FILL THIS OUT — Markeith Loyd’s attorney is asking that the court increase the pay to jurors for the murder trial of Orlando Police Lt. Deborah Clayton.

Terence Lenaman’s motion says people are already facing hardship because of COVID-19, and they can’t face another by being out of work. He estimates about an $1,100 loss for people who serve.

The motion asks to get compensation to $8.25 an hour, which is more than $15 a day for the first three days then $30 after that, which is otherwise offered.

"Compared to other counties, Orange County, Florida, with its many theme parks and hotels, has an unusually high number of its residents working in Food & Serving and Cleaning & Maintenance jobs,” Lenaman wrote. “These service industry jobs are usually minimum wage jobs that do not typically reimburse employees who are not present for their job due to jury service.”

Read: Defense argues Markeith Loyd was insane when he killed Orlando police officer, wants video showing police treatment after capture

Loyd is accused of killing Clayton when she approached him in a Walmart parking lot back in 2017. He had already killed his girlfriend, Sade Dixon, and their unborn child, and Orlando police was on a manhunt for Loyd for weeks.

Loyd’s trial is expected to take six weeks, which means jurors will be out of work and sequestered for more than a month.

Read: Coronavirus pandemic delays justice in some Central Florida high-profile criminal cases

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