TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — A judge set the date for one of the state’s most famous trials this year.
Pheonix Ikner, a man accused of killing two and injuring six people in a shooting rampage at Florida State University on April 17, is currently set to face trial in four months.
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Earlier in the week, Circuit Judge Lance Neff ordered Ikner to be transported from Wakura County Jail to Leon County Courthouse, but his defense abandoned his appearance at the last moment, and Ikner did not appear in court.
It has been three months since the tragedy occurred, and to this day, what is the motivation for the questions about everyone’s mind?
At a case management hearing Wednesday, Judge Neff confirmed that the trial will begin in November. “I look at the calendar and I don’t think there’s any reason at this point not to set this for the trial for the week of November 3rd,” Judge Neff said.
But Ichner’s defense attorney Peter Mills disagreed with the date of the investigation, saying the investigation needed more time. “I disagree with that judge. I’m still investigating the case,” Mills said.
Judge Neff can follow up and see what they are against, questioning why the defense doesn’t ask for evidence to be exchanged before trial. Which Mills says they plan to submit that request next week.
But state attorney Jack Campbell informed the court that there was indeed a lot of evidence, including video, and he didn’t want to blame it all on the defense team two months before the trial began.
“It’s a huge amount of discoveries, especially the video,” Campbell said. “I’ve started preparing it, but I don’t want to wait until September just before the discovery deadline, and I’m not ready to throw away the huge amount of discoveries and put them into a deposit.”
The judge assured the parties that a monthly meeting would be held to give everyone the opportunity to discuss what is still needed when the defense prepares.
8 Your side caught up with state attorney Jack Campbell after the court, and he said the biggest game changer is the defense of submitting for discovery, a formal process to see evidence before trial.
That move can slow things down and push the start of a trial up for months or even years. However, judges have the power to decide when a trial should begin.
Notable upcoming dates:
Case Management Meeting August 13, 2025 All evidence will begin on November 3rd by October 1st, 2025, and judges will be selected on November 3rd, 2025.
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