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The attorney of the Jacksonville Beach man accused of murdering and dismembering a teen in 1994 said “there’s no evidence proving that he did this.”
Ann Finnell’s comment came after Ronnie Hyde’s arraignment on Tuesday morning.
Hyde entered not guilty pleas for second degree murder and 12 child pornography charges.
Hyde is the prime suspect in the murder of 16-year-old Fred Laster, whose dismembered torso was found near a Lake City dumpster in 1994.
Laster’s family said Hyde was the teen’s youth pastor.
“It seems his spirits are high. And he is wanting to proceed forward with his case,” said Finnell.
Hyde hired Finnell less than two weeks ago. The prominent Jacksonville attorney is widely known for being involved in Casey Anthony’s defense.
Judge Angela Cox told Hyde during his arraignment on Tuesday that he will face the 1994 criminal punishment code if he’s convicted of murder.
“The legislature and the Florida Supreme Court have sentencing guidelines in Florida. And the law is you have to use the sentencing guidelines that were in place at the time that the crime was allegedly committed,” said Finnell.
Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson said the 1994 code won’t make much of a difference for Hyde’s sentencing if he’s convicted.
The maximum sentence Hyde can face under a second degree murder charge is life in prison, not the death penalty.
Hyde would only be eligible for the death penalty if the state attorney’s office later upgrades his murder charge from second degree to first degree, premeditated murder.
“The reason that they have not yet charged him with first degree murder is because clearly they don’t have enough evidence,” said Carson.
The FBI spent days collecting evidence from Hyde’s home after his arrest last month.
“If they were to find body parts, things connected with the cutting up of the body at the home, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Hyde’s the actual killer. It could well be someone else,” said Carson.
Finnell said prosecutors just don’t have the proof.
“Certainly, the public should give everyone a presumption of innocence at this point in time, in light of the fact that there’s no evidence proving that he did this,” said Finnell.
Hyde is scheduled to return to the courthouse for a pretrial hearing on May 16.