Jefferson City murder suspect tells judge he no longer wants to represent himself
Jazsmin Halliburton
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Jefferson City man accused of murdering the mother of his child no longer wishes to represent himself in his criminal trial, he told a judge Tuesday.
Sergio Sayles, 39, is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with evidence and first-degree stalking in the 2023 death of Jasmine King.
Police found King dead from stab wounds to her head, face, neck, torso and back in her home in the 300 block of West Ashley Street in April 2023, according to previous reporting.
Sayles was in a Cole County courtroom Tuesday morning and told Judge Brouck Jacobs that he no longer wishes to represent himself.
Sayles filed a notice of change of counsel earlier this month and wrote that he would defend himself, according to online court records. The motion also stated that he wanted to change the trial back to a jury trial. In April, Sayles’ counsel sought a bench trial in exchange for the state to drop its pursuit of the death penalty.
Now that Sayles has pulled his request to defend himself, he will keep his defense lawyer, and the bench trial will continue as planned.
In Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutors filed a motion for a mental examination to ensure that Sayles is fit for trial, but Jacobs denied that motion.
When the prosecution previosuly filed the motion for a mental exam, it did not mention Sayles’ request to defend himself, or that Sayles’ attorneys oppose the mental health exam, according to court documents. Also in Tuesday’s hearing, Sayles’ attorneys renewed a request asking the judge why the case wasn’t dismissed after Sayles’ car was destroyed after his arrest. The judge denied the defense’s renewed motion to have the case thrown out.
Last month, the court determined cellphone location testimony would not be included during the trial.
Sayles is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. A pretrial conference is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Oct. 6.