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Suspected serial killer's trial delayed

CINCINNATI, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The trial of a suspected serial killer was delayed Wednesday until 2010 because his family hasn't been cooperative, attorneys in the case said.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said he agreed to a defense request for additional preparation time for the trial of Anthony Kirkland, who is suspected of killing two teenage girls and two women, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Wednesday.

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"We just want to make sure we only have to try this once," Deters said.

Defense attorneys Will Welsh and Norm Aubin asked to delay their client's Nov. 2 trial date because of trouble getting Kirkland's family to cooperate.

The defense lawyers said they were hoping to discover mental health and substance issues that could help their 40-year-old client avoid a possible death sentence.

Kirkland, already a convicted killer and sex offender, is accused of strangling Esme Kenney, 13, whose body was found in March, along with the 2006 deaths of Casonya Crawford, 14, and Mary Jo Newton, 45. He also is charged in the slaying of Kimya Rolison, age unavailable, whose burned remains were found in June, Kypost.com reported.

The Enquirer said Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Charles Kubicki Jr. set a new trial date of March 1.

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Kirkland served 16 years in prison for beating Leola Douglas and burning her body when he was 18 years old. He was released in 2003.

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