Sarasota court updates: 2 trials expected in early 2024, 1 case finishes sentencing

Two criminal cases are scheduled to go to trial in early 2024 and one family will finally have closure in the new year as sentencing for a 20-year-old man concludes a month after a grieving mother took the stand offering her forgiveness.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune has put together a list of three area cases where an arrest was made, but a trial has yet to happen, to help readers stay up to date.

Sentencing for man found guilty of murder, attempted murder to conclude in new year

Almost a month after a Sarasota mother took the stand to forgive a 20-year-old man who was found guilty of killing her son during the first half of his sentencing, Darion Lee will appear in court once more to conclude his sentencing hearing on Jan. 3.

Lee was found guilty in July of second-degree murder with a firearm and attempted murder in connection to the 2019 shooting that killed Le’Quavious Claridy and wounded a classmate.

Due to the defense receiving a report late from one of their witnesses, the conclusion of the sentencing was postponed, giving Lee's attorneys enough time to review the report and prepare for the hearing.

Lee was arrested in November 2019 after he turned himself in following the shooting near Carver Street and Orange Avenue which at the time wounded both Claridy and Sas Young, 17. Lee was 16 years old at the time.

Previous reporting: Mother forgives man found guilty of murdering her son as sentencing delayed

Trial conclusion: Jury finds Sarasota man, 20, guilty of murder, attempted murder in 2019 shooting

An affidavit in the case states the shooting was over an ongoing dispute over a dirt bike between Lee and Young, both students at Triad.

When police arrived on the scene, two victims were on the ground near pools of blood, reports stated at the time.

Claridy was in a coma following the shooting, but when he awoke, he told his aunt it had been Lee who had shot him and repeated the name to detectives who came to interview him at the hospital, according to her testimony during the trial earlier this year.

Woman arrested in connection to death of infant son asks for bond ahead of fair trial

Lily Scheip was charged with second-degree murder of her 14-week-old son in March 2022, with authorities alleging she had beat her son's head so badly he sustained severe brain damage, according to previous reporting.

On Nov. 8, 2021, Sarasota County Fire Dept. paramedics responded to a home in the 2300 block of Spring Oaks Circle following reports an infant was unconscious and not breathing. A 911 caller told police Scheip came to her door with the unconscious infant, who directed the mother to the home of a nurse, according to previous reporting.

The infant died on Nov. 10 as a result of his injuries after being taken off life support. A police investigation revealed the child had suffered two broken legs in September from an apparent fall and an autopsy noted distinguishable bruising on the child's head.

Scheip is expected to have a trial in April 2024, according to court records. Scheip in the meantime has asked the court to reinstate her bond, indicating that she has no prior criminal record and would therefore not fail to attend mandated court dates. A court hearing date has been set for late January.

In case you missed it: 'Take Care of Maya' verdict raises questions for child healthcare providers

More Sarasota court news: Mother forgives man found guilty of murdering her son as sentencing delayed

In an email written by Scheip's mother to Judge Thomas Krug on Oct. 25 asking about the length of a bond hearing, she expressed that she truly believes her daughter was innocent.

"I lost my only other child, a daughter, Lily's older sister Emily July 2021 to a sudden stroke," her email in part reads.

Scheip also submitted a letter on her behalf in August asking for her bond to be re-instated informing the judge that she had been incarcerated for nine months, serving the maximum sentence for a DUI, and has become a "proud, sponsored member of AA."

"I have been a dedicated nurse for 14 years," her letter reads. "I am a loving wife, mother, aunt and daughter. By re-instating my bond, I would have the opportunity to rejoin my community and family while anticipating a fair trial."

February trial scheduled for Sarasota man who was on the run in Mexico for five years

John Pyle, 67, is expected to appear in court for trial for 30 counts of possessing child pornography after he was caught in Mexico in June 2022 after being on the run since 2017.

Pyle, who ran 3,273 miles from San Francisco to Key West to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project in 2012 and then ran again to evade authorities, was caught in Merida, Mexico, by the U.S. Marshals Mexican Foreign Field Office and Mexican Immigration, according to previous reporting.

In 2016, Sarasota Police Department detectives searched Pyle's condo on South Osprey Avenue after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Detectives found 31 images of child pornography, 15 images containing sexual misconduct, and two images of child pornography involving bondage on Pyle's laptop, according to arrest reports.

Pyle has since been in custody at the Sarasota County Jail and a trial was initially scheduled for November, however, it was canceled as a hearing was scheduled for late January 2024 to review motions to dismiss.

One court record mentioned that "many images for which he is charged are of simply nudity, as were the images used to support the issuance of the search warrant herein." Pyle is challenging the facial validity and stating it is an unconstitutional burden on his First Amendment rights, unconstitutionally vague, overbroad, and lacks due process. Pyle also put in a motion to suppress all evidence that law enforcement obtained as a result of two unlawful searches.

Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, or on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota court updates: 2 pending trials, sentencing wait for 2024