Orange judge strikes motion to dismiss murder case from woman accused in suitcase killing

The woman accused of murder after her boyfriend was found dead in a suitcase in 2020 is now acting as her own attorney and tried to get the judge to dismiss her case, claiming constitutional violations.

But Orange County Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick on Thursday refused to consider the motion for dismissal filed Tuesday by Sarah Boone after ruling it was filed by a “non-party” — someone unaffiliated with the case. The motion was sent through the mail by two people from a California address

Boone, who is representing herself in the killing of Jorge Torres Jr., argued her Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial was violated by prosecutors. The two-page motion to dismiss the case, mailed to the court clerk last week, argued the prosecution “has not met the requirements or proven good cause of delays.”

“[Ineffective] substandard state provided attorneys should have made this request long ago proving this as a fact,” the motion read. The motion included a copy of the first seven amendments in the Bill of Rights.

It’s not clear if Boone’s argument that prosecutors violated speedy trial rules would have held up, even if she properly submitted the motion.

While Florida’s speedy trial rules require prosecutors bring felony cases to trial within 175 days without a demand by a defendant, defense attorneys can waive that requirement, which according to court records Boone’s court-appointed attorneys did at a hearing Nov. 2, 2020.

Boone, however, now represents herself after going through nine attorneys — eight appointed by the court.

Her last one, Patricia Cashman, quit in June after she said Boone walked out of a videoconference to discuss defense strategy for the second time since agreeing to take the case. Kraynick ruled Boone forfeited her right to counsel and allowing her to continue burning through attorneys “would only serve to delay the case further and encourage Defendant to persist in efforts to prevent the resolution of the case on its merits.”

Boone faces life in prison if convicted of murdering Torres, who investigators said died while trapped inside a suitcase as she watched. Deputies found video taken by Boone where she taunted Torres as he begged her to let him out.

“Yeah, that’s what you do when you choke me,” Boone replied as he struggled, according to an arrest affidavit.

Her trial is scheduled for Oct. 7.