Cape murder trial delayed until August

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Brandon Banks has a public defender, but it will be a while before the murder case against him can move forward.

Banks, 28, is accused of killing 40-year-old Marsha Ann Brown of Cape Girardeau in January and dumping her body in a ditch in rural Makanda, Illinois.

A motorist found Brown's body Jan. 14; two days later, authorities arrested Banks in St. Louis, triggering an extradition process that took several weeks.

Banks had been set for trial next Monday, but at a pretrial conference Tuesday, attorney Michael Burke told Jackson County, Illinois, Circuit Judge William Schwartz he had just been appointed to the case three weeks ago.

"We are not ready to proceed," Burke said, noting he just received a 6-inch-thick stack of documents and about 10 videos related to the case less than two weeks ago.

Schwartz granted Burke a continuance to allow him time to prepare for trial and set Banks' next appearance for 1 p.m. Aug. 11.

The murder charge is one of two cases pending against Banks. In April, he and five other defendants were charged with mob action in connection with a physical altercation at the Jackson County Jail.

Public defender Ed Dorsey is representing Banks on that charge.

Authorities have not released a motive in the murder case.

Banks' last known address was 716 N. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau -- the same address where local police helped agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives execute a search warrant the day before his arrest.

Online court records show Banks has several prior offenses in Missouri, including a 2011 case in which he was placed on probation for unlawful possession of a firearm and a 2007 case in which he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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