The retrial of Rashaun Jones in the 2006 murder of University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was postponed on Wednesday after defense attorneys raised last-minute allegations of misconduct by investigators and prosecutors.
Pata, 22, was shot in the back of the head outside his Kendall apartment on November 7, 2006, after returning from football practice. A rising star projected as a high NFL draft pick, he had no eyewitnesses to the killing.
Jones, a former Hurricanes teammate and one-time suspect, was arrested in August 2021 and charged with second-degree murder.
Jones’ first trial ended in a hung jury mistrial in March 2026. The retrial had been set for May 18.
On May 7, defense lawyers filed emergency motions after the April 27 deadline, citing an internal-affairs probe of lead detective Juan Segovia over Instagram posts made during the initial trial that appeared to prejudge Jones’ guilt. They also challenged the re-listing of a jailhouse informant who had previously threatened to sabotage the state’s case and referenced a Florida Bar complaint against former prosecutor Michael Von Zamft for alleged witness-handling misconduct in an unrelated matter.
Circuit Judge Cristina Miranda called the timing “ridiculous and absurd,” but granted the continuance after Jones agreed he needed more time.
The new trial date is September 14, with motions scheduled for May 18.
Jones remains in custody.
