Circuit Judge Marc Lubet ordered a Sept. 25 pretrial date and
an Oct. 8 trial date for the 11 felony defendants in hazing death case of FAMU
drum major Robert Champion. He made the announcements during an arraignment
hearing held yesterday.
Ten of the defendants were excused from the proceeding
because they had already filed “not guilty” pleas. Shawn Turner, an ex-drum
major, was the only one who attended. He had to appear before the judge to request
a public defender and fill out financial need forms.
Craig Brown, an attorney for defendant Aaron Golson, told reporters he
believed the trial date will probably have to pushed back until at least 2013.
“Given the amount of discovery, and everything that needs to
be done in this case, and the number of defendants, it will be difficult for
the case to be ready for trial at that date,” Brown said. “There is a lot that
has to be gone through.”