Attorneys for the woman charged in connection with the killing of her co-worker at the Lululemon Athletica shop asked a Montgomery County judge Wednesday for more time to arrange for an expert, mental-health witness.
The request indicates defense attorneys Douglas Wood and Christopher Griffiths will likely offer a mental-health argument for their client, Brittany Norwood, who was arrested in March on a charge of first-degree murder.
Ms. Norwood is accused of killing co-worker Jayna Murray, a 30-year-old Arlington resident, on March 22 inside the yoga apparel store on Bethesda Row.
She was in the courtroom for the hearing, sitting low in her chair next to her attorneys and wearing an olive-colored jumpsuit and a white, long-sleeve shirt.
Judge Robert Greenberg allowed the defense team to file a request for an extension and set the next hearing date for Aug. 30. He also set a Sept. 2 date to hear motions arguments from both sides.
The trial is scheduled for Oct. 24.
The defense attorneys also told Judge Greenburg they are trying to suppress five statements their client made to investigators.
Ms. Norwood told investigators after the incident that two masked men entered the store near closing time and attacked both women during a robbery.
However, she was arrested after her story failed to match crime-scene evidence.
A co-worker arrived at the store the next morning to find the doors unlocked, the inside in disarray and moaning coming from the back of the store.
Officers called to the scene found Ms. Murray’s body with injuries described by State’s Attorney John McCarthy as “shocking” and “catastrophic.” Ms. Norwood was found in the back of the store with her hands and feet bound with zip ties.
• Meredith Somers can be reached at msomers@washingtontimes.com.
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