Judge grants request to delay trial for man charged in deadly Conway bank robbery to next term

Updated: Oct. 18, 2017 at 11:27 AM EDT
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FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) – A U.S. District Court judge has granted an order to delay the trial until the next term for the suspect accused of shooting and killing two employees during a Conway bank robbery in August.

This order comes after Brandon Council chose to waive his right to a speedy trial and "have my case continued beyond the next term of court," according to documents filed Monday. A court representative said that the next court term begins on December 7, 2017.

The order to continue the trial until next term was granted on Wednesday. The order states that the granting of a continuance outweighs the interest of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial. The case is unusual or complex due to the nature of the prosecution and the "existence of novel questions of fact or law," thus a speedy trial "would deny both counsel reasonable time for effective preparation," the order states.

The suspect accused of shooting and killing two employees during a Conway bank robbery in August has waived his right to a speedy trial.

A court scheduled filed last week stated jury selection in Council's case would have begun on Thursday, Oct. 26.

According to the motion for a continuance, Council's attorney stated that since the case involves the possibility of the death penalty, the case should be continued.

Council faces two counts of murder in connection with the Aug. 21 CresCom Bank robbery. He is accused of killing Donna Major, 59, of Conway, and Kathryn "Katie" Skeen, 36, of Green Sea, during the robbery.

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