Brent Ward Luyster will face separate trials, one for aggravated murder and the other for attempted escape, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Luyster’s murder trial is set for October. In that case, he faces three counts of aggravated first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and first- and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
A trial date has not yet been set for the remaining charges, which include second-degree attempted escape, first-degree malicious mischief and possession of a weapon by a jail inmate. Luyster will have a review hearing on the matter Aug. 29.
Earlier in the hearing, Luyster requested a new defense attorney and claimed that communication with his current attorney, Chuck Buckley, had broken down. Buckley disagreed. Judge Robert Lewis denied his request and said substituting counsel would further delay the case, another concern that Luyster had raised.
