VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The man accused of shooting and killing a Daytona Beach police officer sat in court Friday while his attorneys presented seven motions in front of a Volusia County Judge.
Lawyers for Othal Wallace filed more motions earlier this week. They argued about what evidence should be used at his trial including whether or not Wallace’s social media posts should play a part.
“It’s obvious to me you know a lot more about the case than I do so ruling on some of these motions are very, very, difficult,” Judge Raul Zambrano of Seventh Judicial Circuit Court said.
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Wallace’s defense team also asked Zambrano to exclude an alleged statement by Wallace after he was arrested in Georgia days after the shooting of Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor in 2021.
“Your honor, the statement alleged to be made what we believe he made was, ‘You already know who I am. You know what I’m capable of and it could have been a lot worse,’” State Attorney R.J. Larizza told the judge.
Zambrano ruled on Friday that the jury will be allowed to hear the alleged statement during trial.
In July, attorneys filed a long list of motions that included ruling out evidence that Raynor was looking for a stolen vehicle the night he was shot.
Earlier this summer, Zambrano agreed to move the trial out of Volusia County to Clay County, which is outside of Jacksonville.
Wallace is charged with first-degree murder and if convicted, he could face the death penalty.
His trial is set for Sept. 5.