On Monday, Stacie and Russel Pike left the Madera County Courthouse once again frustrated by setbacks. Their daughter Krista Rae Pike was beaten to death in 2008. Now, defense attorneys want to delay the trial for Brittany Navarra beyond the scheduled May date.
"Again, tt comes as a surprise after all these years there's a new motion for a continuance yet again. Surprised, disappointed, and shocked again," said Monrae English, the civil attorney representing the victim's family.
Navarra and Dustin Gran are charged with Pike's murder. Gran is currently on trial in Stanislaus County. The proceedings were moved due to the attention the case has received.
According to court paperwork filed on Monday, Navarra's attorney wants more time to prepare his case based, in part, on details revealed during Gran's trial.
"That's not a good cause for a continuance for trial just to be able to do a little bit better job, or prepare a little bit more based upon something that's happening in a different trial, and that would not be good cause just to be able to say, 'I need more preparation time.' Um, you've had six-and-a-half years," said English.
The family's civil attorney plans to object to the latest motion citing a law that entitles the victim's family due process rights. A gag order prevents attorneys in the case from talking about the trial. Prosecutors believe Navarra talked Gran into killing Pike so she could reignite a romance with Pike's fiance.
A judge will decide whether the trial will go on as scheduled in early April.
