Daigle’s Defense Denied More Time
Kevin Daigle's image has become synonymous with evil. It's almost like the guy goes out of his way to look evil. Now, it seems that his defense team just isn't quite ready to go to trial despite the fact that it has been 2 years since DAigle was charged with the murder of State Trooper Steven Vincent. As a result, Daigle's lawyers are asking for, among other things, more time to prepare his case.
Daigle's trial has already been postponed a couple of times and special presecutor, Rick Bryant says that enough is enough.
"This idea that we're still not prepared after all this time I find a little bit disingenuous. I truly believe there's no more work to be done in this case. If there is, then they have a real problem because it's been a long time."
The court agreed months ago that , due to publicity, a jury should be picked outside Calcasieu to make sure Daigle gets a fair trial. At that time, Judge Guy Bradberry chose Bossier Parish for the jury pool, but now, Daigle's team wants a completely different venue for the trial. Daigle's team wants to move the proceedings to a "more Catholic" area. According to Daigle's lawyers, Catholics are less likely to vote for the death penalty.
Judge Guy Bradberry chose Bossier Parish, but now the defense wants a more Catholic area like Lafayette, arguing it's more like Calcasieu and that Catholics are less likely to vote for the death penalty. Daigle's defense also seems to be of the opinion that local law offers might try to sway the jury; an insinuation that local law enforcement may try to sway the jury. That argument does not please Bryant at all.
"I was offended by the idea that law enforcement officers who wait on the jurors, you know they're going to be housed in a hotel, that somehow that they would infect the jurors or create some kind of bias. And that was very offensive to me,"
Daigle's defense does make a valid point when they point out that they have another capital case just before Daigle is scheduled to go to trial and they want to make sure their clients get all their attention. The defense says Daigle would plead guilty and spend life in prison if they take the death penalty off the table.
Judge Bradberry denied the request to move the venue or delay the trial again, telling attorneys, "There is no perfect time." On January 8, at 1:30 p.m.,Judge Bradberry is to rule whether testimony from Daigle's daughter, about him allegedly molesting her, will be allowed in the penalty phase of his trial. Again, the trial is set for April 30, 2018.