The man accused of killing 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle is set for trial nearly five years after her death in Northwest Jacksonville.
Convicted sex offender Donald Smith was in court Thursday morning after his case was delayed because of a death penalty challenge. A hearing for Smith in January was canceled because lawmakers were weighing challenges to the death penalty law.
Smith is accused of taking Cherish from a Walmart in northwest Jacksonville in June 2013, then raping and killing her. Smith is also accused of dumping the child's body behind a church.
A judge on Thursday scheduled Smith's pretrial hearing for Aug. 8 and another for Feb. 1.
The judge said the trial will begin Feb. 5.
The man accused of killing 8 y/o Cherish Perrywinkle is set to be back in court this morning. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
Convicted sex offender Donald Smith is expected to be in court after his case was delayed due to the death penalty challenge. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
In January, a hearing for the suspect in Cherish's murder was canceled as lawmakers weighed changes to the death penalty law. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
Donald Smith is accused of taking an 8y/o child from a Northside Walmart before killing her & dumping the child's body behind a church.
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
Donald Smith has walked into the courthouse. There are three #JSO officers standing near him. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
Police say Smith kidnapped, raped, and killed Cherish Perrywinkle, 8, back in June 2013. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
The court says Donald Smith's final pretrial will be on Feb. 1st in CR 406. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
The judge says there will be a pretrial hearing on August 8th and then another before the final pretrial on Feb. 1st. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
The judge says there will be a pretrial hearing on August 8th and then another before the final pretrial on Feb. 1st. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) May 11, 2017
Cox Media Group
