JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The two men charged in the murder of a 13-year-old Jacksonville boy will face trial by two separate juries.
The judge made the decision in a court hearing Thursday, more than a month after one of the suspects asked to be tried separately.
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On December 3rd of 2022, 13-year-old Prince Holland was leaving football practice when he was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting. One of his coaches and an 8-year-old were also left injured.
Marcel Johnson, 25, and Kentrevious Garard, 27, were later arrested and charged with 1st degree murder.
Back in February, we reported that Garard’s attorney, Nicole Jamieson, argued it wouldn’t be fair to try the two men together, as the state plans to introduce statements made by Johnson to homicide detectives, which were allegedly false. The state then offered to instead try them both together, but with separate juries.
“Let me make this as clear as I possibly can,” said Judge Jeb Branham. “Both defendants are set for trial on June 9th, 2025. We have a number of evidentiary issues that we have to work through before that trial gets here. Since the state has agreed that severance is appropriate, each defendant will have their own jury no matter what.”
When we spoke with Jamieson, she said there will be two separate juries but the Judge has not yet decided if the actual trials will be conducted at the same time in one courtroom, or on entirely separate dates.
As of right now, jury selection for both suspects is set for June 9th.
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