Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Judge Delays Orlando Halloween Shooting Trial Over Planned Insanity Defense

The court granted a postponement to allow a new psychiatric evaluation after Jaylen Edgar said he intends to plead insanity.

Overview

  • Jury selection set for Thursday was halted, and the judge ordered a psychological evaluation to be completed within 30 days, pushing the trial back at least a month.
  • The judge denied Edgar’s bid to replace his public defender and also declined the attorney’s request to withdraw, keeping Junior A. Barrett on the case.
  • Prosecutors said they plan to introduce video that shows Edgar with the firearm recovered from him and to call two additional witnesses, with the court to decide on admissibility.
  • The court cited a willful discovery violation after late disclosure of fingerprint analysis on the gun and magazine, and the delay gives the defense time to prepare a response.
  • Edgar is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder in the 2024 downtown Orlando shooting that killed Tim Schmidt Jr. and Tyrek Hill; he is not eligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time.