JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The trial of the man who law enforcement calls the chief suspect in the disappearance of toddler Lonzie Barton was delayed Monday after his attorney's waived his right to a speedy trial. Judge Mark Borello agreed to the motion after prosecutors did not object.
Jury selection was set to begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the child neglect case against Ruben Ebron.
Hundreds of potential jurors had been brought to the Duval County Courthouse. Legal experts believed it might take a couple of days to seat a jury in the case because of pre-trial publicity.
According to court documents, Wanda Ebron, the mother of Ruben, had been slated to testify at a hearing before the start of jury selection.
A hearing in the case is now set for January 19.
Lonzie's mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton, pleaded guilty to child neglect and lying to police charges last Thursday. Judge Borello had been set to rule Monday on whether Barton would be allowed to testify against Ebron. That ruling has been delayed as well.
Ebron's attorney's requested the delay due to issues with witness and evidence, defense attorney's tell First Coast News reporter Lisa Robbins at the courthouse.
Lonzie went missing in July after Ebron told police his car was stolen with the toddler inside from an apartment complex on Jacksonville's southside.
Later, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said said they believed Ebron to be lying and arrested him on child neglect charges just days after the child went missing.
In September, JSO released surveillance video that police say discredits Ebron's story about what exactly happened to Lonzie.
