Aug. 17--The trial of the alleged Grim Sleeper serial killer, accused of murdering 10 women in South Los Angeles, is set to start in October.
Lonnie Franklin Jr. is charged with murdering the women and trying to kill another during a span of violence over more than two decades. Prosecutors charged Franklin more than four years ago.
The latest trial date of Oct. 14 comes after 4 1/2 years of delays.
In May, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy delayed the capital murder trial until Sept. 9. The trial had been expected to begin June 30.
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Her decision came after she agreed to a request from Franklin's attorney, Seymour Amster, to test more items collected at the crime scenes -- including a mattress pad draped over one of the victim's bodies -- for DNA evidence.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman had objected to yet another delay, saying the defense "waited until the 11th hour" to test the items.
At a February hearing, relatives of victims killed by the so-called Grim Sleeper had come forward to talk about the effect of the delays. Many blamed Franklin's lawyers for the postponements.
Though Franklin is accused of killing 10 women, investigators have said they believe he is responsible for more killings. Many of those killed were found along a South L.A. corridor straddling Western Avenue, and prosecutors contend that ballistics evidence and DNA link him to the crimes.
Last year, Amster filed a motion saying genetic material from another man was found on items collected at crimes scenes of three of the victims linked to Franklin. At a May hearing, Amster told Kennedy a defense expert had concluded that DNA connected to two of the attacks matched that of convicted serial killer Chester Turner.
Los Angeles Times staff writer Veronica Rocha contributed to this report.
MORE ON GRIM SLEEPER:
Relatives of Grim Sleeper's victims express the pain of delays
Grim Sleeper defense says DNA in some cases points to another suspect
'Tales of the Grim Sleeper' revealing look at accused serial killer
