Mother-daughters murder trial set to begin

WASHINGTON, July 13 (UPI) -- Superior Court Judge Frederick H. Weisberg says the trial of a Washington woman accused of killing her four daughters will begin as planned.

The Washington Post said Weisberg denied a request from attorney Peter Krauthamer, who is representing Banita Jacks, that his client's trial scheduled to begin Monday be delayed.

Krauthamer had asked for a delay to review new crime scene evidence, but prosecutor Deborah Sines tabbed the request a judicial delay tactic.

Jacks stands accused of killing her daughters, Brittany Jacks, 17; Tatianna Jacks, 11; N'Kiah Fogle, 6, and Aja Fogle, 5, in summer 2007.

Authorities allege Jacks kept the girls' bodies in the family's two-story home for nearly seven months after killing them. The bodies were only discovered when federal marshals came to the home to serve an eviction notice.

WTOP-AM, Washington, reported Banks, 35, allegedly claimed a demon had possessed her children.