Opening statements in the murder trial involving former University of Miami football player Rashaun Jones were scheduled to begin Tuesday morning but were postponed after defense attorneys revealed new information they say could reshape the case.
Jones, now 40, is accused of killing his former teammate Bryan Pata, a defensive lineman for the Miami Hurricanes. Jones’s defense attorneys said they received materials late on Friday, Feb. 13, they claimed showed that police did not thoroughly investigate an alleged confession from a hitman.
The defense argues these materials raise the possibility of another suspect.
The confession includes the language, “‘I just killed that kid from the University of Miami,’” defense attorney Christian Maroni said. “So now we have a specific statement linking that confession to the murder of Bryan Pata.”
Judge Cristina Miranda delayed the start of the trial, saying the court must resolve outstanding questions before opening statements are presented to a jury.
“I do think we want answers to these types of things to be able to put some puzzle pieces together for the ethical obligation that we all have,” Miranda said.
Prosecutors acknowledged receiving the same materials but argued the information is inadmissible, characterizing it as hearsay that cannot be presented as evidence in court.
Shortly after court began, and Maroni presented this information, jurors were dismissed and instructed to return later in the day as the court reviewed the new information. As of xyz time, court has/has not been called back into session.
The delay came as nearly 17 of Pata’s family members arrived at the courthouse expecting opening statements to begin. Among them was Pata’s mother, Jeanette, who is now wheelchair-bound but attended court.
Since Jones’ arrest, the defense has accused prosecutors of misrepresenting evidence and failing to preserve key documents.
The trial is expected to move forward once the court resolves the issues surrounding the newly presented information, at which point both sides will present their accounts of what occurred the night Pata was killed.