Kimberly Kessler murder trial on track for jury selection Dec. 6

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Judge denies different intelligence valuation for pistillate accused of sidesplitting co-worker Joleen Cummings

Booking photograph of Kimberly Kessler (Photo provided by Nassau County Sheriff's Office)

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A time aft denying a defence question to suppress evidence, including the acquisition of an electrical knife, Judge James Daniel besides denied a question from Kimberly Kessler’s lawyer to person her acquisition different intelligence competency evaluation.

Daniel reminded the defence of his 2 erstwhile rulings connected the contented and said helium didn’t spot thing that would origin him to clasp different intelligence competency hearing.

Kessler was wheeled into tribunal strapped to a seat for the last pretrial proceeding Tuesday and yelled “Jordan Beard is Joleen’s cousin” 11 times earlier being wheeled backmost out. The outburst, which she has repeated astatine astir each tribunal appearance, is an accusation astir 1 of her defence attorneys that has been proven untrue.

Daniel found Kessler competent successful June to basal proceedings successful the execution of Joleen Cummings, Kessler’s co-worker astatine a Nassau County hairsbreadth salon. Cummings disappeared successful May 2018. Her assemblage has ne'er been found, but investigators recovered a ample magnitude of humor grounds astatine the Tangles Hair Salon, wherever Cummings and Kessler worked together, and person surveillance video showing Kessler placing bags containing thing successful a dumpster.

Daniel said Tuesday that assemblage enactment is connected for Dec. 6. The defence has besides filed a question for a alteration of venue. That volition beryllium considered astatine a aboriginal clip if request be, Daniel said.

The justice indicated determination would beryllium much than 300 imaginable jurors brought to tribunal successful groups of 30. His extremity is simply a excavation of 60 aft Phase 1 of assemblage selection. Daniel told prosecutors and the defence that if Kessler wants to beryllium portion of the trial, she volition beryllium brought in.

Daniel is allowing the authorities to archer the assemblage however investigators said Kessler went to Walmart the nighttime Cummings was past seen live and bought an electrical knife, cleaning gloves and heavy-duty trash bags.

The defence argued that since nary 1 tin accidental however Cummings died, the items would promote the assemblage to speculate that the electrical weapon was the execution limb and would inflame the jurors’ passions.

The justice ruled the prosecution tin archer the assemblage astir the items Kessler bought owed to their probative value. Those purchases were caught connected store surveillance video.

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