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Dalton shooting trial scheduled for January 2019 in Kalamazoo

Posted at 2:22 PM, Aug 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-11 16:04:47-04

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office says it will not appeal a recent Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that statements made by Jason Dalton to police should not be allowed at his trial and that the trial is scheduled for January 2019.

Dalton is accused of killing six people and wounding two others in a February 2016 shooting spree in Kalamazoo County.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting said in a release Friday that the decision not to appeal the court’s July 31 ruling came “after discussing it with the victims, their families and law enforcement.”

“While we respectfully disagree with the ruling of the Court of Appeals, we have determined that the interests of justice would best be served by bringing this matter to trial without further delay,” Getting said in the release.

The defense had asked in September 2017 that Dalton’s statements to police after his arrest on the night of the Feb. 20, 2016 shooting not be allowed in court.  The request had gone to the Michigan Supreme Court, but that courtkicked the decision back to the Court of Appeals.

Jury selection in the trial is set to begin Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, 2019 and opening statements will begin Jan. 7, 2019 at the 9th Circuit Court in Kalamazoo, Getting said in a release.