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Former Clay County sheriff's criminal trial delayed on charges linked to sex scandal

One of the state's witnesses, a detective, has a medical issue that must be taken care of the entire week of the trial.

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The criminal trial for Clay County's former top cop has been delayed until next year.

Prosecutors in the case against former Sheriff Darryl Daniels asked a judge Monday to delay the trial for Daniels' charges of lying and evidence tampering. One of the state's witnesses, a detective, has a medical issue that must be taken care of the entire week of the trial.

In court Tuesday, the defense did not object.

The 56-year-old former sheriff is charged with three misdemeanor counts of lying to law enforcement and a felony evidence tampering charge related to his conduct when he was still in office, including a situation surrounding an extramarital affair with a former subordinate.

RELATED: Updated charges against former Clay County Sheriff say he lied about ongoing affair, deleted phone data

The trial was originally set to get underway Monday with jury selection, with opening arguments scheduled to begin Dec. 13. Wednesday, the judge granted the state's motion to continue, moving the final pretrial hearing to Feb. 7, with the trial taking place Feb. 14 through 25.

According to an investigation by the Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement, Daniels attempted to have his own officers arrest his former lover, Cierra Smith, and accused her of stalking him. Investigators say he later tried to delete evidence of the incident and the affair from his work-issued phone. 

Daniels has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He lost his bid for reelection shortly after the FDLE investigative report was released. 

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