Prosecutors seek 2012 trial for suspected pirates

The Associated Press

Mar 31, 2011

NORFOLK, Va.—Federal prosecutors want to push back the trial date for 14 suspected pirates by nearly a year.

Thirteen Somalis and a man from Yemen have pleaded not guilty to piracy, kidnapping and firearms charges in the February hijacking of a yacht that left four Americans dead.

The yacht's California owners, Jean and Scott Adam, along with friends Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay of Seattle, were shot to death after they were taken hostage several hundred miles south of Oman.

A May 17 trial date has been set, but in a court filing prosecutors say they want it moved to April 2, 2012 because of the complex nature of the case. Prosecutors note they will need to coordinate with the U.S. Navy and the case may involve classified information.