SPOKANE, Wash. — A Mead woman accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend will have to wait another week for her trial to begin after her defense attorneys told a Spokane County judge they were not prepared to proceed.
Cynthia Khaleel has been waiting to go to trial for the last two years after she was arrested for the murder of her ex-boyfriend Justin Daniel in 2024. Her trial will have to wait another week because her lawyers say they weren’t prepared for the trial to start today.
Khaleel appeared in court today for what was expected to be the first day of her trial where she is accused of stabbing her ex-boyfriend 48 times and shooting him three times.
According to court documents, at the time she was arrested she had just lost a custody battle over her then three-year-old son that she shared with her ex-boyfriend Justin Daniel.
Court documents say she broke into Daniel’s house and then later showed up at her stepfather’s house covered in blood.
Today in court, Khaleel’s lawyers argued they haven’t had enough time to review evidence for the case. They say they just received some of the documents less than two weeks ago.
“We have not had the opportunity to review all of the discovery that we have collected as a defense,” said Lindsey Wheat, an attorney representing Khaleel. “We have not had the opportunity to watch or review all of the .zip files.”
Judge Jacquelyn High-Edward did not grant their request to continue the trial but will delay the start of the trial another week. She will allow the defense to interview one of the witnesses in that time.
But the attorneys representing Khaleel don’t believe that will be enough time either.
“Your honor, I keep saying we will try to be ready, I’m letting you know we’re not going to be ready,” said Stephanie Cady, an attorney representing Khaleel.
The judge is adamant that the trial will start next Monday regardless.
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