Military Judge Col. Tara Osborn deferred ruling on whether or not a 3rd Infantry Division soldier accused of shooting his squad leader and fellow team leader should face the death penalty.

Osborn took no action on the defense's request to drop the death penalty in the murder case against Sgt. Joseph Bozicevich during a routine hearing held Wednesday at Fort Stewart. The judge also deferred ruling on another defense motion to increase the number of panelists (jurors) from nine to 12.

The judge said these motions will be reconsidered at the next motion hearing on Aug. 26. Requests by the defense to revoke the death penalty and re-open an investigation into the murder charges against Bozicevich were first considered in a motion hearing held last month at Fort Stewart. The court martial is set to begin on Feb. 7, 2011.

For more on this story see Friday's print version of the Coastal Courier.