Fall Trial Date Eyed for Dedham Man Facing Murder Charge

The first degree murder trial of Paul Moccia, of Dedham, won't begin until at least the fall, his attorney predicted Tuesday.

A May 31 trial date was set prior to attorneys agreeing of Moccia and alleged co-conspirator Daniel Bradley, of Westwood.

Angel Ramirez, of Framingham, in March 2009. 

Moccia has brought on Robert Sheketoff as a court-appointed attorney, which has caused the latest delay.

Steven Boozang, who has represented Moccia since 2009, will stay on as co-council.

"[Sheketoff] will bring himself up to speed quickly, but we aren't going to proceed to trial until we're ready," Boozang said outside the  courtroom.

Assistant district attorney Robert Nelson will try Moccia's case first, followed by Bradley's.

Judge Kenneth Fishman is considering a bail motion brought by Bradley's attorney, Kevin Reddington. Bradley is seeking to be released on bail with either a GPS bracelet or under house arrest.

"Mr. Bradley's trial is probably off for a significant period of time," Fishman said at a hearing last week. "And I'm concerned about that."

Fishman also is expected to rule soon on several motions from a two-week . Fishman had withheld ruling on evidentiary and discovery motions in order to give Moccia's new attorney the option of re-opening the hearing.

Sheketoff declined to do so at Tuesday's pre-trial conference.

Moccia is scheduled to appear again on July 28.

"There is a huge amount of exculpatory evidence that we will need to investigate and follow through," Boozang said.