Tucson judge delays trial for man in Arivaca double-killing case
A man who confessed to shooting a 9-year-old Arivaca girl and her father to death in May 2009 has had his trial postponed from October until March.
Defense attorney Chris Kimminau told Pima County Superior Court Judge John Leonardo that although he and his co-counsel have been working “diligently” preparing for Jason Bush’s trial, they just can’t be ready by the original trial date of Oct. 19.
There were delays in finding expert witnesses who were willing to take on the case and willing to do so for less-than-exorbitant costs, Kimminau told the judge. He is still waiting for reports from the experts they did eventually hire, Kimminau said.
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Bush, 36, a Meadview, Ariz. resident, Shawna Forde, 43, and Albert Gaxiola, 43, are facing the death penalty if convicted of the first-degree murder of Raul Flores, 29, and Brisenia Flores, 9, on May 30, 2009.
Authorities say Forde thought Flores was a drug dealer and recruited a group to raid his house for drugs, cash and guns to help fund her organization, Minutemen American Defense.
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