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Suspect in killing is eager for trial
By CHASE SQUIRES
© St. Petersburg Times, DADE CITY -- One of two men charged in what witnesses have described as a drug-related revenge killing said he was ready to go to trial Monday. But the attorney for defendant Scottie Lee "D'Angelo" White wasn't ready. So, over White's objections, a judge waived White's right to a speedy trial and set the case for January. Despite the fact that appointed defense attorney A.J. Ivie had only been on the case a few weeks and had not completed any depositions or preparation, White, 35, told Circuit Judge Maynard Swanson he wanted to go to trial Monday on the second-degree murder charge he faces in the killing of Ronnie Leonard Barber, 23. "Let's see what the state's got," White told the judge. "Let's bring it." He faces a potential life sentence if convicted. The Constitution requires defendants get a speedy trial, which state Supreme Court rules define as a trial within 175 days of arrest. White told Swanson he wasn't about to waive that right. The allotted time for White's case expires Dec. 5, but with no open trial dates between now and then, Swanson said there was no way to schedule a new date before Jan. 28. So the judge waived White's speedy trial right for him. The judge ruled that because the public defender had a conflict and had to be replaced in the case, Ivie didn't have time to prepare. Prosecutor Phil Van Allen said forcing Ivie to trial without a chance to question the 110 witnesses would just get White a new trial on appeal if he ended up with a conviction. Arguing that the Supreme Court makes an exception to the speedy trial rule if the defendant or counsel is not ready for trial, Van Allen said pushing White's trial ahead is allowable. Supreme Court rules also list other exceptions, including allowances for cases too complex to be prepared within the 175-day window. But if a court finds there aren't exceptional circumstances, a prisoner could be freed and all charges dropped if he is not tried in a timely fashion, according to the Supreme Court. White and co-defendant Eric Antwon "E-Love" Wilson, 27 are charged with shooting Barber on Feb. 24 at Rumors nightclub in Trilacoochee. Witnesses told investigators the shooting was over a drug deal, claiming Barber took delivery of crack cocaine from Wilson and refused to pay. According to testimony, Wilson and White ambushed Barber at the nightclub. Swanson set White's new trial date for Jan. 28. Wilson's case is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Jan. 9. White was returned to the Pasco County jail. He has been held in Pasco and Hernando county jails since his arrest in May on $100,000 bail.
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From today's Pasco Times Jan Glidewell |
