After first deciding that trial would continue as planned for Julius Catlett Jr., Circuit Judge Andrew Self has now decided to delay it, vacating the February trial date.
The decision came at the end of a hearing Tuesday, where Commonwealth’s Attorney Lynn Pryor entered a motion asking him to reconsider his previous decision. The motion states that further evidence testing can be conducted on a shirt that was located in Catlett’s residence, which was found with hair and gunshot residue on it.
It says part of the reason Self ruled against the continuance was because the Central Forensic Laboratory did not intend to do further testing, but the Commonwealth was able to determine that the lab could do the testing. Pryor goes on to say that any DNA evidence found on the shirt will be very critical to the case.
Judge Self granted the rescheduling of trial, which will now take place possibly in early June, though a specific date has not been set.
Catlett is accused of shooting Shaun Smith to death on Younglove Street in September 2016. **