PHOENIX — The end of Lori Daybell's jury selection and opening statements were pushed from Monday to Wednesday as she appeared in a wheelchair and said she was "very ill."
Daybell's second Arizona trial was supposed to begin Monday, and the victim in the trial, Brandon Boudreaux, was in court waiting.
Prosecutors allege that Daybell conspired with her now-late brother, Alex Cox, to kill Boudreaux months after Vallow's death.
Boudreaux is the ex-husband of Daybell's niece, who survived being shot at.
In the courtroom on Monday, Daybell told Judge Justin Beresky, "I have a terrible headache, I have nausea."
She appeared in a suit while sitting in a wheelchair, holding a mask. All the parties discussed what could be accomplished, but Daybell said she couldn't continue.
"I do have a right to represent myself," said Daybell. "I’m sorry that I’m sick. I did not plan on getting sick. This doesn’t have anything to do with anything other than I’m incapable of moving forward doing a good job representing myself."
Prosecutors asked for a date so they could alert witnesses and suggested starting earlier on other days of the trial.
"I’ll take the state’s suggestion and try to salvage this jury and this trial," said Judge Beresky.
The final part of jury selection and opening statements were pushed to Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Daybell insisted it was a lot of pressure to be placed on her.
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"I don’t like to disappoint people," said Daybell. "I don’t like putting people out of their way, all the jurors and all these things...And all the pressure's on me, that's not going to help me get any better any time soon."
She also asked if there was a way she could alert someone how she was feeling tomorrow, without having to be brought over on Wednesday if she wasn't feeling good. Judge Beresky said he would likely order her to appear in court.
"Because you represent yourself, no one else can waive your own appearance," said Judge Beresky.
"You’re welcome to come over to the jail, come to my cell and see how I’m doing in there," responded Daybell.
Judge Beresky said he would "take a pass on that," and the court date was set.
He told potential jurors he was "embarrassed" and had never had to do this in his career. Judge Beresky asked the pool of jurors to return on Wednesday and not look up the case online.
