ORLANDO, Fla. (Court TV) — Sarah Boone may soon have some help in the courtroom if a judge allows a private attorney to step into the case.
Sarah Boone sits in court during a hearing on Aug. 5, 2024, where she represented herself. (Court TV)
Boone is charged with the second-degree murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., who died after he was zipped inside a suitcase at the couple’s apartment during a night of drinking. Boone was initially charged in 2020, but her case has been delayed repeatedly as a list of attorneys withdrew from her case. In July, Judge Michael Kraynick ruled that Boone’s behavior meant she had forfeited her right to an attorney and said she would have to represent herself.
When Judge Kraynick refused to reconsider his ruling , Boone went so far as to create an advertisement for an attorney to help her — and it appears to have worked! The full-page, handwritten ad featured questions: “Looking for a prosperous challenge? Ready for your close-up on nat’l television? Are you zealous with a side of keen?”
READ MORE | Jail: Sarah Boone altered clothing with staples
A letter filed July 18, 2024 includes a handwritten ad by Sarah Boone seeking her ninth attorney. (Court TV)
On Friday, attorney James Owens filed a notice of appearance, and then immediately filed a motion asking for Boone’s trial to be delayed and said that as of Aug. 30, he would be representing the defendant. In the motion, he noted he was drawn to the case after seeing her advertisement. In the motion, Owens says that he has met with Boone four times at the jail, and during the meetings, they discussed exculpatory evidence in her case.
Owens spoke with Court TV after filing his notice of appearance and said that he was inspired to reach out to help her after seeing coverage of her case. He said that after his first meeting with her in jail, he was reluctant to represent her, but they worked out their differences and he is fully committed to the case.
“I think Sarah feels good about it now, because I think she realized representing yourself is harder than it looks, so I think she’s appreciative of having a lawyer again,” Owens said. “She hired me, she retained me … I plan on seeing it through and I’m determined to help her see it through.”
Judge Kraynick previously warned Boone that the trial “will not be continued for any reason, except by extraordinarily good cause, and such extraordinarily good cause shall not include retention of counsel by the defendant.” But Owens’ motion argues for the delay not because of his appearance on the case, but because of the time the defense will need to retain experts and properly pursue “an anticipated Battered Spouse Syndrome Defense.”
While reviewing Boone’s court file, Court TV also reviewed behavior notes from the Orange County Jail that were entered into Boone’s case. The notes reveal that Boone has been using a laptop to review evidence daily, but has also been refusing meals and showers, at times. A corrections officer described Boone as having a “patronizing tone” and persistently misrepresenting what was being said during a conversation about access to materials in jail.
Boone will appear for a motions hearing in court on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Owens told Court TV he will be there with his client.
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