A trial set for January for Hialeah teen Derek Rosa, accused of fatally stabbing his mother, could be affected after one of his attorneys withdrew from the case.
Rosa, now 15, allegedly confessed to stabbing his mother, Irina Garcia, more than 40 times over two years ago. He has remained in custody while attorneys prepared for the trial.
Last week, high-profile attorney Jose Baez, known for representing Casey Anthony, withdrew from Rosa’s defense, citing personal reasons. Remaining attorneys told the court this created a significant setback in preparing the case for trial.
Rosa’s attorneys must inform the judge by Monday whether they will continue representing him. If not, the court will appoint new counsel. They were also ordered to disclose their defense strategy, which reportedly includes exploring alternative suspects such as Rosa’s stepfather, Frank Ramos. State attorneys maintain that GPS records place Ramos out of state at the time of the murder.
Rosa has pleaded not guilty, and as of now, it appears there are no sufficient grounds to delay the trial.
