Murder suspect Aiden Fucci’s lawyer asks to delay trial until next year

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The teen accused of killing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey is scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 7.

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Fifteen-year-old Aiden Fucci, the teen accused of killing 13-year-old Bailey, was back in court today. His lawyer asked for the trial date to be moved to next year.

Fucci is still scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 7.

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But his public defender spoke inside the courtroom on Friday, requesting the trial to be moved to February 2023, as she needs more time to gather witness testimonies.

Judge R. Lee Smith, however, said he’s not going to make that decision just yet.

Fucci stood before the judge alongside his public defender, and rather than grant the request to move the trial to next spring, Smith said he wants to see how the next two weeks shape up.

Smith will tentatively decide on postponing the trial date during the next pre-trial hearing on Aug. 19. He says he wants to avoid setting this case back if it could potentially set other cases back too.

Fucci is being tried as an adult for the murder of Bailey on Mother’s Day last year. Her body was found in the woods in Durbin Crossing with more than 100 stab wounds.

Fucci has pleaded not guilty.

Back in May, Action News Jax told you that Fucci’s lawyer said she had recently taken over the case, and that she was working on reviewing evidence in the case. We know this includes jail calls, surveillance videos from neighbors and several Snapchat videos.

RELATED: Aiden Fucci, teen charged with murder of Tristyn Bailey, appears in court ahead of trial

Fucci’s lawyer said she was gathering sworn testimonies from about 75 people.

At Friday’s hearing, she said she still has almost 50 people to go, which is why she asked for the later trial date.

In summary, Fucci is still scheduled to go to trial in November, but we will learn more about whether that date will change on Aug. 19.

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