After five years of delays, man heads to trial in kidnapping and failed murder-suicide plot
TAMPA, Fla. - After delays spanning five years, the trial for Trevor Summers is underway. He's accused of kidnapping his estranged wife and plotting a murder-suicide that was thwarted by a good samaritan.
A jury is being selected more than five years later, but Summers tried to delay the trial again, arguing that he was unprepared to move forward.
"I will suffer injustice and prejudice in denial of due process," said Summers.
Tampa Judge Christopher Sabella denied his request for a continuance. He later barred Summers' stand-by attorney, Anthony Marchese, from sitting at the defense table with him.
That provoked Summers, who was representing himself at trial, to change his mind at the very last minute. Marchese was suddenly back on the case.
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That prompted Marchese to complain to Judge Sabella that he wasn't ready for trial, saying he and Summers don't see eye to eye on a defense strategy.
"He and I had numerous problems during my representation I must have filed four motions to withdraw as his attorney," he explained to the court.
But Judge Sabella denied Marchese's motion for a delay and forged ahead.
For five years now, Summers has fired one attorney after the next. He later even forced a judge off his case claiming bias. In March 2017, Summers is accused of kidnapping his estranged wife Alisa and plotting a failed murder-suicide.
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Prosecutors said he even tricked his kids into letting him into the house.
His daughter, Arden Summers, remembers it well and told FOX 13, she is ready to testify against her dad.
"This was a man I trusted," Arden said. "This is a man who I thought could do no wrong and just to know that he used me to do what he wanted to do, hurts more than anything."
Opening statements are expected Tuesday morning.