LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The jury selection for Brice Rhodes' trial, a Louisville man accused in a 2016 triple-murder that involved two teenagers, began on Monday, Dec. 11.
Despite his history of disruptive behavior in court, the judge ruled Rhodes is competent to stand trial.
A point of contention in this trial is what could happen to Rhodes if he is found guilty.
Rhodes is accused of murdering 14-year-old Larry Ordway and 16-year-old Maurice Gordon after they allegedly witnessed him shoot and kill Christopher Jones, 40, back in 2016. Graphic body cam footage showed the scene where police found the boys' bodies -- stabbed, tortured and burned in an abandoned lot in west Louisville.
Rhodes went on to pick up more charges while in jail, including attempted escape. Jail staff said he tried to dig out a hole in the cinder block, terroristic threatening, and assault on officers. He has a history of outbursts in the courtroom, in 2020, he targeted a judge calling them a racist.
However, Judge Julie Kaelin says that kind of behavior will not be tolerated in her courtroom. On Friday, Dec. 8, she said Rhodes will be given two options if he causes a disturbance: sit outside the courtroom or wear a device on his leg that deputies can use to shock him.
Originally, there were talks of giving Rhodes the death penalty if he is convicted, but the judge has since taken that possibility off the table.
Court documents say that it is "clear" that there is "ample evidence" that Rhodes is intellectually disabled and has a history of serious mental illness. Because of this, the judge says Rhodes is not eligible for the death penalty.
However, documents also show a summary of Rhodes’ IQ tests over the years and that he has tested as high as 90 and as low as 55, so he is "in the realm of intellectually functioning." Based on these findings, the judge ruled in October of this year that Rhodes is competent to stand trial.
The maximum penalty Rhodes could face if convicted is life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In the meantime, Rhodes is being held at Louisville Metro Department of Corrections on a $1 million cash bond. Along with murder, he's charged with abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence.
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