By Lexi Lonas - 04/23/21 02:38 PM EDT
Attorneys are hoping to get a delay in a St. Louis criminal case after multiple jurors tested positive for the coronavirus.
Jury selection began a week ago for a death penalty case against Eric Lawson, who is accused of killing three people, The Associated Press reported on Friday.
Lawson’s attorneys are asking the Missouri Supreme Court to delay the trial after Circuit Judge Michael Noble denied their continuance request on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lawson is accused of shooting and killing Breiana Ray and Gwendolyn Ray in 2012 and then starting two fires that killed his 10-month-old son and critically injured Breiana Ray’s 3-year-old daughter.
Updated: 3:48 PM CDT April 23, 2021
ST. LOUIS The Missouri Supreme Court on Friday declined to pause a capital murder trial for a St. Louis man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, her mom and his baby boy, despite two positive COVID-19 tests for potential jurors who had appeared in court.
The court s one-sentence ruling was issued two days after attorneys for Eric Lawson requested a two-week delay, citing concerns that coronavirus infections could spread to other potential jurors, trial staff and lawyers.
Jury selection began last week. Lawson is accused of fatally shooting 22-year-old Breiana Ray and 50-year-old Gwendolyn Ray before setting an apartment fire that killed his 10-month-old son, Aiden. Lawson, 32, has been in pretrial detention since his arrest nearly nine years ago. The case is being prosecuted by the Missouri Attorney General s Office.