An order previously signed by the Caldwell County Circuit Court judge that allowed a man charged with the murder of his wife to be moved to another jail was voided during a pretrial conference Tuesday afternoon.
Joseph Florentine and his defense attorney, David Bundrick, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins appeared virtually before Caldwell County Circuit Court Judge C.A. Woodall.
During the pretrial conference, Bundrick said he had received a lot of discovery to review with his client and Ovey-Wiggins added she had sent out more discovery Monday with more items still be tested at the lab, which will take some time to get the results.
Ovey-Wiggins also asked the judge to reconsider an order signed by the court allowing Florentine to move to another jail. She said the Caldwell County jailer had said he would be able to accommodate Bundrick to meet with his client from the jail via video conference.
click to download audioBundrick said due to the nature of the case that includes sensitive details he needs to be able to meet with Florentine in a private setting.
click to download audioJudge Woodall said he would allow them to try to meet privately at the Caldwell County Jail with the jailer stating they had a private area where they could discuss the case.
click to download audioThe judge then voided the order for Florentine to be moved to another jail.
Florentine, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, is charged with murder and abuse of a corpse. The charges are from June when Kentucky State Police reported they were contacted by the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department about a female body found in Hill Cemetery in Fredonia. The body was later identified as Florentine’s wife, 36-year old Nichole Renee Florentine, also of Rock Hill.
Florentine was reportedly located and arrested in Denver, Colorado on June 23rd and extradited back to Kentucky. He remains lodged in the Caldwell County Jail.
Judge Woodall set another pretrial conference for Tuesday afternoon, February 2, at 3:00 in Caldwell Circuit Court.
