OCALA, FL (352today) – Jury selection for the trial of the Paddock Mall shooting suspect was supposed to start in less than two weeks. Instead, it’s likely to start closer to two years after the deadly event that sent hundreds of holiday shoppers scrambling for safety.
On Thursday at a pretrial hearing, the attorney for Albert J. Shell Jr. waived his client’s right to a speedy trial.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Shell for the alleged shooting and killing of 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron. The shooting that took place just two days before Christmas last year also injured an innocent bystander in the mall’s common area.
Authorities arrested Shell in January after a 2-week manhunt.
The State of Florida has charged Shell with:
- premediated first-degree murder with a firearm
- two counts of attempted murder with a firearm
- two counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm
- possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Shell’s defense attorney, Daniel Hernandez, told the judge that he has never defended a client in a death penalty case and needed time to set up a defense team for Shell.
“We’re in the process of filing motions for an investigator and mitigation specialist, as well as co-counsel in this case,” said Hernandez. “An additional attorney is going to be appointed because the state is seeking the death penalty.”
Hernandez said he was appointed to represent Shell just a short time ago, and his interaction with his client has been limited.
“There’s so much to do in the case, probably a case like this wouldn’t be tried for a year and-a-half from now,” said Hernandez.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19.