BUFFALO, N.Y. — The trial of a man accused of killing a 54-year-old woman and her grandchild began Thursday morning. Kenyatta Austin is accused of shooting multiple people in July of 2018.
Austin was arraigned in arrested and charged in August of 2019 for the killings. If he is convicted of all charges, Austin faces up to 69 years in prison.
The defense began the trial by asking for a delay. The reasoning was that new evidence had been delivered to their offices.
James Auricchio, one of Austin's attorneys, told the judge that some of the evidence had been delivered as late as two days prior.
Auricchio cited the newly enacted criminal justice reform law, which requires that all evidence be made available with ample time for all parties to evaluate it and prepare for trial.
"We really wanted to tell the court what we thought we would be able to prove or not prove during the course of the trial," Rob Goldstein said after court adjourned for the day.
Goldstein is also one of the defense attorneys for Kenyatta Austin. He explained that there was also concern about some of the contents in evidence.
A tape containing a statement from someone claiming to have driven the car Austin was in the night of the shooting came in to question.
"We wanted to have full opportunity to review that evidence and discuss it between Mr. Auricchio and me in order to give the judge an accurate explanation of what we anticipated to present," Goldstein said.
During trial Auricchio, stated that the witness in the interrogation video changed their story. He also told the judge that at one point a family member who was a former cop came in and appeared to coach the witness on what to say. That witness was scheduled to testify.
The judge agreed to an extent. The prosecution gave their opening statements, a and the second witness' testimony was postponed until Monday when the defense was scheduled to make their opening statements.
Court is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, January 13.
