The trial overseen by Judge Michelle Sisco took a pointy flip this week as she criticized the protection within the homicide case of rapper Julio Foolio (actual title Charles Jones) as “inexcusable.”

The defendant, Alicia Andrews, faces expenses of first-degree homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide, and she or he is the primary of 5 people charged in reference to the killing. Andrews’ trial facilities round Jones’ dying, which occurred in June of final yr exterior the Holiday Inn Tampa North parking zone.

At situation this week was the protection crew’s invocation of the sequestration rule—a court docket mandate that prohibits witnesses from receiving exterior details about the case or discussing it amongst themselves. Prosecutors questioned whether or not the protection had solely knowledgeable a single witness of the rule. Upon confirming this, the choose responded: “The failure of the defense to tell their own witnesses not to talk about the case is inexcusable, and that’s a matter of record.”

Prosecutors allege that Andrews traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa with co-defendants linked to rival gangs, tailed Jones and aided the gunmen by offering his location. Meanwhile, Andrews’ legal professional maintains she was merely on a visit together with her boyfriend and had no connection to the capturing or the gang associates, arguing there isn’t a bodily proof tying her to the crime.

Tensions widened additional when protection legal professional Erian White raised considerations concerning the prosecutor’s habits, calling it “unprofessional” and “disrespectful.” He stated: “We are professionals, just like every other attorney in this courtroom. The bigger point that I was making is that the way that Mr. Harmon has been speaking to this side of the table is unprofessional, it’s disrespectful… The rise in tone is unnecessary, and it’s disrespectful, and it’s inappropriate.”

The trial of Alicia Andrews continues, whereas separate proceedings for her co-defendants stay scheduled for subsequent yr.