Accused burglar/slasher’s trials pushed back-to-back

Accused 18-year-old slasher/burglar Isaiah Lawrence Shepherd’s assault trial date has been bumped once again — now his two trials will run more or less back-to-back starting March 10.

Shepherd’s cases have been working their way through the court system since last fall, when he was arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit residential burglary and third-degree theft. He was released on bail, his trial set for mid-January.

However, while Shepherd — a Port Orchard resident — was out on bail, he attended a New Year’s Eve party in Port Orchard, where he allegedly got into a fight and stabbed two other men. Shepherd was arrested and charged with second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

Since then, amid much legal wrangling, Shepherd’s burglary and theft charges have been amended and two new charges have been added. Now, Shepherd stands charged with two counts of residential burglary, intimidating a witness, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

Shepherd was charged with intimidating a witness because he was allegedly fighting with a potential witness in the burglary case when he stabbed the two men, who were friends with the witness.

Shepherd has a status hearing scheduled for Tuesday, at which time the prosecution and the defense will confirm their ability to go to trial the following week.

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