On July 11, a Lee County judge will decide if enough evidence exists to bring the case of the alleged Auburn shooter before a grand jury.
The Lee County District Court will be the setting for that Wednesday's preliminary hearing. Susan James and Jeff Duffey, attorneys for Desmonte Leonard, requested the hearing.
The request for a hearing was only one of several filed by Leonard's defense team. One was a motion to request a visit to Auburn's University Heights apartments to help prepare their case. Also filed were requests for access to evidence gathered by police and a list of witnesses who gave statements to investigators.
James requested the hearing on Friday, June 22, and Duffey filed the motion requesting the apartment visit on Monday morning.
A change of venue request has not yet been filed.
The Lee County District Court will be the setting for that Wednesday's preliminary hearing. Susan James, attorney for Desmonte Leonard, requested the hearing.
Leonard, 22, is the Montgomery man accused of a triple capital murder in the June 9 shooting at Auburn's University Heights apartment complex.
Lee County District Court Judge Russell K. Bush will preside over the hearing and can set in motion a chain that leads to a grand jury, which is the entity charged with indictments.
Former Auburn University football players Ladarious Phillips and Ed Christian and Opelika resident Demario Pitts, all 20, were killed, while two Roanoke men, John Robertson and Xavier Moss, and AU lineman Eric Mack were injured. Mack, Moss and Robertson have been released from the hospital.
Leonard is charged with three counts of capital murder and two counts of second-degree assault as well as a new charge of attempted murder stemming from the shooting of Robertson in the head. Robertson was released from UAB Hospital last Thursday.
Auburn Police Detective captain Tom Stofer said Leonard "hasn't been served the warrant yet."
Leonard remains in the Montgomery County jail, where he has been held at the request of his attorneys.
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