Sarah Boone, a Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend by trapping him in a suitcase, is scheduled for trial at the beginning of October.
Challenges with representation
Boone, who is now on her eighth attorney, has had difficulties with her legal counsel. She has clashed with her current attorney, Patricia Cashman, as well as the seven previous lawyers she had dismissed.
Expressing her displeasure, Boone mentioned that she does not like her current attorney and criticized the lawyer’s demeanor as “nasty.”
“I don’t understand why she has something against me. Since Day 1, I have told her that her snooty attitude was inappropriate,” Boone told the judge. “I make an effort to tolerate her and her attitude. I am unsure what I have done to upset her.”
Cashman also shared her frustrations, indicating that Boone wanted her to focus on matters that she did not consider significant based on her legal experience.
“But currently, we are at a deadlock where if she continues to leave every meeting that I have with her, it raises questions about the attorney-client relationship,” Cashman stated.
The allegations against Boone
Boone is implicated in second-degree murder charges related to the death of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., whom she locked in a suitcase. Boone claimed they were playing hide and seek after drinking. She stated that she fell asleep in her bed and only later realized that Torres was still in the suitcase.
As the case unfolds, disturbing footage emerged showing Torres inside the suitcase asking for help.
Prosecutors allege that even though Torres may have voluntarily entered the suitcase, Boone refused to release him when he pleaded for assistance.
One potential defense Boone might use is the “battered spouse” defense, which is employed when individuals enduring domestic violence defend themselves against an abusive partner. However, Florida typically does not acknowledge this defense.
Trial postponements
Since Torres’ death four years ago, the case has not proceeded to trial, partly due to Boone’s issues with her legal representation.
Various public defenders appointed to the case have withdrawn, citing irreconcilable differences with Boone. One even suggested that she represent herself since she wasn’t satisfied with her numerous lawyers, while another characterized their relationship as adversarial.
During the recent hearing, the judge established a trial date for early October but is also reviewing Boone’s complaints about her current attorney given their clearly strained relationship.
