The Citizens' Voice is reporting that the capital murder trial of accused killers Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes has been delayed until Jan. 5, 2009.
Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. made the scheduling change Tuesday, from an original start date of Sept. 2, after attorneys for both defendants requested a continuance.
Shelley Centini, an attorney for Kerekes, said the dismissal last month of Mark Bufalino, an attorney for Kerekes, and Paul Galante, an attorney for Cuadra, left both defense teams unprepared for trial.
Cuadra, 27, and Kerekes, 34, both of Virginia Beach, Va., are accused of killing Bryan Kocis, a rival producer of gay pornographic films and later setting fire to his Midland Drive home.
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Update @ 2:50 PM: The Times Leader is also reporting that the capital murder trial for Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes has been postponed until January 2009.
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. postponed the trial after attorneys for the two Virginia Beach, Va., men argued attorneys Mark Bufalino and Paul Galante have not been replaced.
Bufalino represented Kerekes, and Galante represented Cuadra. The two attorneys withdrew from the case in July due to a conflict that they both work in the same private law firm.
Kerekes' attorney, Shelley Centini, asked to continue the trial because she had not received Bufalino's file on the case.
In addition, Cuadra's attorney, Michael Senape, said he has not yet been certified in defending capital murder trials.
Olszewski postponed the trial that was initially scheduled to begin on Sept. 2 to Jan. 5.
Cuadra, 27, and Kerekes, 34, are charged in the slaying of Bryan Kocis, 44, at Kocis' Dallas Township home in January 2007. Prosecutors claim in court records that they killed Kocis, whom they considered their rival in the gay pornographic movie industry.
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Update @ 3:49 PM: Harlow Cuadra signs documents waiving his right to a speedy trial... Joseph Kerekes already did this several months ago.
Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. made the scheduling change Tuesday, from an original start date of Sept. 2, after attorneys for both defendants requested a continuance.
Shelley Centini, an attorney for Kerekes, said the dismissal last month of Mark Bufalino, an attorney for Kerekes, and Paul Galante, an attorney for Cuadra, left both defense teams unprepared for trial.
Cuadra, 27, and Kerekes, 34, both of Virginia Beach, Va., are accused of killing Bryan Kocis, a rival producer of gay pornographic films and later setting fire to his Midland Drive home.
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Update @ 2:50 PM: The Times Leader is also reporting that the capital murder trial for Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes has been postponed until January 2009.
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. postponed the trial after attorneys for the two Virginia Beach, Va., men argued attorneys Mark Bufalino and Paul Galante have not been replaced.
Bufalino represented Kerekes, and Galante represented Cuadra. The two attorneys withdrew from the case in July due to a conflict that they both work in the same private law firm.
Kerekes' attorney, Shelley Centini, asked to continue the trial because she had not received Bufalino's file on the case.
In addition, Cuadra's attorney, Michael Senape, said he has not yet been certified in defending capital murder trials.
Olszewski postponed the trial that was initially scheduled to begin on Sept. 2 to Jan. 5.
Cuadra, 27, and Kerekes, 34, are charged in the slaying of Bryan Kocis, 44, at Kocis' Dallas Township home in January 2007. Prosecutors claim in court records that they killed Kocis, whom they considered their rival in the gay pornographic movie industry.
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Update @ 3:49 PM: Harlow Cuadra signs documents waiving his right to a speedy trial... Joseph Kerekes already did this several months ago.
