Judge Mark O’Connor agreed to set a new trial date for Oct. 18 and indicated the trial could be lengthy.
“I’m scheduling four weeks,” O’Connor told the lawyers. He suggested if during the trial they might need more time they will work on Saturdays, too.
O’Connor also set a date for the lawyers to meet again to discuss if any evidence should be suppressed.
Pilkington’s lawyer, Kort Gatterdam, said after the hearing they have until April to file what they evidence would like removed, which could include an alleged confession or other statements Pilkington made to Bellefontaine police after her August arrest.
Lawyers are scheduled to meet with the judge on those requests on July 19, according to court records.
Pilkington is charged with three counts of aggravated murder, accused of smothering her sons to death one at a time over a year. She could be sentenced to death if convicted.
Infant Niall Pilkington died in July 2014 and 4-year-old Gavin Pilkington died in April 2015.
Authorities took custody of her daughter and third son, Noah Pilkington, after he was born in May 2015. But a judge allowed them to return home because there wasn’t enough evidence to determine a cause of death for the first two boys.
Noah died Aug. 18, six days after he was returned to his parents’ custody.
Prosecutors have said Brittany Pilkington confessed to all three murders.
The surviving Pilkington daughter is in the care of family members.
Brittany Pilkington’s family is still anxiously awaiting to hear if the judge will agree to some of her lawyers more than 30 requests about the trial, including if it will be moved out of Logan County.
Jeff Skaggs, her uncle, believes a change of venue would be fair.
“(Bellefontaine’s) just a little town and it’s a place where everybody knows everybody — I just hope they move it to help her out in whatever way she needs it for the trial,” Skaggs said.
But the family trusts whatever decision the judge makes, he said.
Other motions yet to be decided upon by O’Connor include whether or not a jury will see pictures of the Pilkington boys during the trial.
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