COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - [Ricardo Strozier, 22, pleaded not guilty to murder charges Thursday. He is accused of killing local radio personality Heath Jackson.
The murder charges stem from September 2010 when police say Strozier broke into Jackson's home to burglarize it, and fatally shot him.
He's also charged with two other burglaries in August of that same year.
Thursday, the state handed over lab reports, video statements from Strozier, and a current witness list to the defense attorneys.
Also, two motions were heard about the evidence in the case. The defense asked that no additional testing be done on evidence that would use up the entire sample. District Attorney Julia Slater agreed and said she was not surprised.
Judge Gil McBride set up dates for the next hearing and also asked for a timeline of when the trial could begin. Burt Baker, Strozier's attorney, said "A death penalty case normally takes at a minimum of three years before trial."
[Web Extra! DA to impose the death penalty (.pdf)]
Although Jackson's family seemed shocked that it could take two more years until trial, Baker says it could likely be 2013, or even 2014, before a jury hears this case.
"I think it would be difficult to get it trialed properly before then," explained Baker.
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