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Preparations start for trial 4 months away

Moving the John Couey trial to Miami is adding cost and complications to an already intense case.

By JOHN FRANK
Published October 16, 2006

INVERNESS - The highly anticipated trial of John Couey is still months away, but court officials are beginning to make preparations behind the scenes.

The new Miami venue for the February trial is adding unique complications when it comes to limiting costs, finding hotel rooms and selecting a jury.

The four-day failed attempt in July to seat a jury in Lake County cost about $15,000 - or $3,750 a day. The figure included hotels and meals for the judge, bailiffs and court personnel who converted the Tavares courtroom into Citrus County domain.

No projected cost estimates for the new trial are available yet, but court officials expect the whole production to cost much more because it's big city Miami and not sleepy Tavares.

At the previous daily rate, a two- to three-week trial in Miami - not counting the likely added expense of sequestering a jury - could see expenses exceed $75,000.

"Costs are going to be secondary to making sure the trial is done right," said Circuit Judge Ric Howard, the presiding judge.

Finding accommodations is an issue, too.

Last week, the judge, administrative officials, court clerks and bailiffs made multiple trips from Inverness to the Miami-Dade County courthouse to check out the courthouse and scout for hotel rooms.

"We wanted to go a couple months ahead of time and literally check out the courthouse facility," Howard said. "By doing it this way we are making sure we don't have any problems with a learning curve."

Court officials intentionally scheduled the trial for the middle of February to avoid the crush of people expected for the Super Bowl on Feb. 4. But they didn't avoid big events like the five-day Miami International Boat Show that starts Feb. 15.

The exhibition draws about 145,000 visitors, according to the hosting organization.

"There's always something going on in Miami, but we are going to have to fit in," Howard said.

John Sullivan, the Citrus County court administrator, said he didn't have a problem making a reservation for three hotel rooms for himself, the judge and top circuit clerk.

As for costs, he said, "We are going to be as conservative as we can. However, it's going to cost what it costs."

The remaining clerks, bailiffs and attorneys have yet to make arrangements, court officials said.

The whole production of moving a major trial with many witnesses and interested parties was one of the original reasons that Howard tried to keep the first trial in nearby Lake County, which is in the same judicial circuit as Citrus.

The plan was to pick a jury there, and move the actual trial to the Inverness courthouse so that the only cost to taxpayers was the sequestration of the jury. That won't happen this time.

Expenses aside, Howard and Sullivan say, Miami will work well as a venue.

Sullivan said he was impressed by the courthouse facility. "They are set up to handle these big cases," he said.

Howard said he was told as many as three death penalty cases may be held the week the Couey trial starts, which could deflect the enormous pretrial publicity that plagued the July proceedings.

Couey is charged with the February 2005 kidnapping, rape and killing of Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Homosassa girl. He faces the death penalty.

While in Miami, Howard inquired about everything from rush hour times to the area's demographics and language issues. "I'm very confident they won't be an issue," he said.

The size of the courthouse also left an impression. Howard said the facility has 21 circuit judges and is a bustling courthouse. By contrast, the Inverness courthouse has four circuit judges.

John Frank can be reached at jfrank@sptimes.com or 860-7312.

[Last modified October 15, 2006, 20:15:53]