Sarah Boone, charged in the death of her boyfriend, who was found zipped inside a suitcase, won't get a trial delay, a Florida judge ruled Tuesday, stating Boone has only herself to blame for the last-minute scramble by her ninth attorney to prepare her defense.
Boone, 46, wore a smile on her face as she appeared in court Tuesday, accompanied by her newest attorney, her ninth one, to face charges in the 2020 murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., whose body was discovered zipped inside a suitcase after a night of drinking, according to CourtTV.
James Owens, Boone's attorney, requested that Judge Michael Kraynick postpone the trial until either later this year or early 2025, arguing that more time was needed to hire expert witnesses to support a battered spouse defense. It was August 30th that Owens took over representation for Boone after she struggled to defend herself following Judge Kraynick's decision that she had forfeited her right to legal counsel.
Judge Kraynick denied the request to delay the trial, emphasizing that the case has already been pending for four years, six months, and four days. He exclaimed that Owens was fully aware of the trial dates and deadlines when he took over the case and sharply added that the accused "only has herself to blame" for the withdrawals of her previous attorneys.
"I'm going to have to have some help," Owens expressed in a public statement. "I'm trying to assemble a team right now." Owens also noted that he was not working pro bono on the case, adding, "Sarah owes me."
Boone is scheduled to return to court for a motions hearing on September 26th, with her trial currently scheduled to begin on October 7th.
Boone was arrested in February 2020 after Torres Jr., 42, was found dead inside a suitcase during what she claimed was a game of hide-and-seek gone wrong, reported the Orlando Sentinel.
Police later discovered video on Boone's cellphone showing her taunting Torres as he repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe from inside the suitcase, according to her arrest report.
