Trial continued as suspect in bonfire shooting death of Alabama cheerleader seeks dismissal

A Stand Your Ground hearing set for this week for the suspect in the deadly shooting at “The Pit” that left a Cleveland High School cheerleader dead has been continued. In delaying the pretrial immunity hearing for Steven Tyler Whitehead, 28, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May on Monday also set aside the October 5 trial date. Whitehead, a national guardsman, is charged with murder in the death 18-year-old Kimber Mills’ death and attempted murder in the wounding of three other people, two of whom were subsequently charged and convicted of misdemeanor assault of Whitehead - Joshua “Hunter” McCulloch and Silas McCay. Attorneys for Whitehead in July asked the judge to dismiss the charges against Whitehead, stating that his use of deadly force was justified under Alabama law. A hearing on the matter was set of Thursday, but Whitehead’s attorney, Lauren Presley of the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office, asked for continuance because an expert witness for the defense needs more time to prepare.

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