Judge denies Orlando Halloween shooting suspect’s effort to ditch attorney

An Orange County judge Wednesday denied a double-murder defendant’s request to remove his court-appointed attorney as representation, clearing the way for jury selection to begin Thursday. Jaylen Edgar, 18, was 17 when he was charged with two counts of murder and several counts of attempted murder in the 2024 downtown Orlando shooting during Halloween celebrations. Edgar wrote a letter to the judge, saying he struggled with "intrusive thoughts and mental state of surreality" the night of the shooting.