ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 Opening statements are set to begin Thursday in the trial of the teenager accused of a deadly shooting during Halloween celebrations in downtown Orlando in 2024.<\/p>\n
Jaylen Edgar faces charges in connection with the deaths of two people and injuries to several others during the mass shooting.<\/p>\n
With a jury now seated, the case is moving forward after months of delays tied to mental health evaluations.<\/p>\n
The defense is expected to focus on Edgar\u2019s mental state at the time of the shooting and his claim that he was experiencing an extreme mental or emotional disturbance.<\/p>\n
Edgar recently wrote to the judge saying he takes full responsibility for what happened, while also asking the court to consider his mental state.<\/p>\n
That request led to a second mental health evaluation earlier this year, delaying what had been scheduled as a January trial.<\/p>\n
Edgar had rejected a plea deal, prompting the judge to order the additional evaluation. His own attorney has previously warned that a mental-state defense could be difficult for a jury to accept.<\/p>\n
Now that the evaluation is complete and jurors have been selected, prosecutors and defense attorneys will begin presenting their cases.<\/p>\n
The trial is expected to last up to two weeks as jurors hear evidence surrounding the 2024 Halloween shooting and Edgar\u2019s mental state at the time.<\/p>\n
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