ORLANDO, Fla. – Accused killer Markeith Loyd appeared in court Wednesday for a status hearing.
Loyd is accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, in December 2016, and later fatally shooting Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton at a Walmart when she attempted to arrest him.
During his last court appearance, Judge Fredrick Lauten granted Loyd's request for a new defense attorney.
Loyd is now being represented by Miami attorney Terry Lenamon, who raised issues at the hearing about the timeline of the trial. Lauten asked the defense to submit possible trial dates by next week.
Loyd will stand trial in each death, with the Sade Dixon case taking place first, possibly in January.
Lenamon said at the hearing that the state is trying to expedite the trial because Gov. Rick Scott's executive order appointing Brad King as the prosecutor in the case expires in March. Lenamon said if the case is still active at that time, the governor would have to extend the order, and it's not known who the governor will be.
The defense is raising issue with the timeline of when the trial will begin. The state’s executive order expires in March. Defense is concerned prosecutors are trying to rush trial, because the governor would have to grant an extension. https://t.co/BVyxmTVFpM
— Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) August 1, 2018
Scott is running for the U.S. Senate, and Florida's next governor will be elected in early November.
The defense also said it intends to file a motion alleging a conflict of interest by the state.
Lauten said that potential motion would be discussed at the next hearing, which is scheduled for Aug. 9.
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