The trial of a local man accused of stabbing and severely injuring an ice skating instructor has been postponed until after the Labor Day weekend.
Originally, the trial of Ryan T. Halligan, 30, of 3526 Cardinal Court was scheduled to begin April 27. However, Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge James Worton has delayed the trial with a tentative start date of Sept. 7, beginning at 8:30 a.m., a court official said.
Halligan is accused of committing a brutal assault on Emaly “Emma” Baxter, 35, outside the Hamilton Center Ice Arena on Oct. 23. Court documents allege the defendant attacked the former professional skater by beating, stabbing and choking her after a car accident in the arena’s parking lot.
Investigators say Halligan admitted being under the influence of methamphetamine and heroin in the hours prior to the early morning attack. A probable cause affidavit states Halligan told police he was attempting to kill her.
The Ford Fusion Halligan was driving that was involved in the crash with Baxter’s vehicle had been reported stolen in Indianapolis, according to court documents.
Halligan is facing five felonies, attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony, strangulation, a Level 6 felony and auto theft, a Level 6 felony. Two misdemeanor charges — operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person and interference with the reporting of a crime — were also filed against Halligan.
If convicted of all charges, the defendant could face a potential sentencing range of 27 to 79 years in prison, as well as fines of up to $60,000. In addition, the prosecutor’s office has also filed a habitual offender enhancement document in the case, seeking to have Halligan sentenced as a habitual offender if found guilty.
The document alleges the defendant has accumulated at least two prior unrelated felony convictions. Indiana law allows those convicted as a habitual offender to receive an additional fixed term between six to 20 years for Level 1 through Level 4 felonies — or two to six additional years for those convicted of a Level 5 or Level 6 felony.
During a Dec. 1 court hearing, Halligan requested a speedy trial. Although the request was granted by Worton, the Indiana Supreme Court suspended all jury trials until after March 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One reason for the latest trial delay is that Halligan requested a new public defender in February and March. But it wasn’t until April 9 that Benjamin Loheide was replaced by another attorney, Aaron Edwards. If Worton had not postponed the trial, Edwards would have only had two weeks to prepare his client’s defense before jury selection was scheduled to begin.
Halligan is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.
