EVERETT — A trial for the man accused of gunning down 15-year-old Molly Conley last year now likely won’t happen until sometime in 2015.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wynne on Friday ruled a continuance is necessary to give prosecutors time to prepare for new testimony from a defense witness.
Jury selection had been scheduled to begin Monday for Erick Walker.
The Marysville man is charged with first-degree murder in Molly’s June 1, 2013, killing, along with multiple counts of assault and drive-by shooting for gunfire into area homes.
Walker, 28, has denied any involvement.
A hearing is scheduled Tuesday morning to set a new trial date, deputy prosecutor Ed Stemler said. The earliest that could happen is March, but trial could be delayed into mid-April, Stemler said.
Wynne met with lawyers on Friday morning to rule on what were expected to be the final pre-trial motions. They told him that a defense expert, already expected to testify about other aspects of the case, now also will speak about how bright lights can affect the perceptions of witnesses.
Molly was struck in the neck as she and friends walked along South Lake Stevens Road. Two of the slain girl’s friends told detectives the gunshot came from a passing car.
By his own accounts, Walker was driving around Lake Stevens at the time of the Seattle girl’s killing. He was arrested and charged after detectives linked him to gunfire at five houses in Lake Stevens and Marysville a few hours after Molly’s death. State forensic scientists reportedly matched bullets recovered in those shootings with two handguns seized from Walker’s home. The bullet that struck Molly has not been found.
Scott North: 425-339-3431; north@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snorthnews.
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