Jesse Matthew’s 2005 trial for a charge of sexual assault was delayed Feb 6. While the original trial date was set for March 9, Matthew’s new trial date will be decided upon at a hearing Friday.
Matthew’s Defense Attorney, James Camblos, said he requested the delay in order to review the 4,000 pages of documents delivered by the prosecution.
“We needed more time to really understand what was delivered by the prosecution to prepare properly for the trial,” he said. “It lets us analyze the documents the prosecution has delivered to the defense attorneys.”
The purpose of the hearing is primarily to ensure that Matthew is aware of the date of his trial, Camblos said.
“[I expect it to go] with no bumps, no problems, very quickly,” he said. “[It] might take five minutes; [it’s] not even worth coming out for.”
Camblos expects the new trial date to be set for May or June.
“[It’s] not a big deal; it’s a routine kind of a thing,” he said. “The prosecution wants to make sure that the defense has a fair trial.”
Matthew is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on her way home from a grocery store in Fairfax County in 2005. He is charged separately with the abduction with intent to defile of second-year College student Hannah Graham, who was later found dead.
“Depending on what happens with the Fairfax case, [it] could have an effect on how the Graham case is dealt with by the prosecution and defense [in Charlottesville],” Camblos said.
Camblos said, however, he did not expect the Fairfax case to affect the Graham case from a legal standpoint.
The Albemarle County Police Department and Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney will hold a press conference Tuesday at 11 a.m. to provide updates on the Matthew case.
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