Judge sets ground rules for trial of Tampa man accused of kidnapping estranged wife, plotting murder-suicide

TAMPA, Fla. - A man accused of kidnapping his estranged wife and plotting to kill her and then himself will represent himself at his upcoming trial and a Tampa judge laid out the rules he is expected to follow in court. 

For five years, defendant Trevor Summers has mastered the legal tactic of firing his attorneys. He even forced a Tampa judge off his case, claiming bias.

Recently, he convinced a new judge that his latest attorney wasn't a good fit, claiming the two don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to a defense strategy.

His attorney at the time, Anthony Marchese agreed.

"He wants to get rid of me and if it takes representing himself in order to get rid of me that is what he’s willing to do," explained Marchese. 

The judge allowed Summers to represent himself, but in court Wednesday, he was complaining about evidence he can't get because he's relying on his private investigator to share it.

However, prosecutor Jennifer Johnson says that’s not her fault.

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"He is the attorney. He is his attorney. He is the one who should have his evidence and his discovery in this case, not another individual he’s relying on," argued Johnson.

Several motions were also addressed in court, including ground rules for the trial. For instance, what can and can't be said in front of a jury and what evidence will be excluded from the trial. 

Summers is accused of kidnapping his estranged wife Alisa and plotting a murder-suicide in March 2017. Prosecutors say he even tricked his kids into letting him into the house.

His daughter, Arden Summers remembers it well.

"This was a man I trusted. 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," she said.

Now Arden and her mother will come face-to-face with Summers at his trial next month.