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Judge delays for a third time decision in case of Army officer accused of Clearwater murder

 
Maj. Roman Izzo U.S. Army Maj. Roman Izzo, 37, is accused of fatally shooting a Clearwater man in 2011. 
Maj. Roman Izzo U.S. Army Maj. Roman Izzo, 37, is accused of fatally shooting a Clearwater man in 2011. 
Published Dec. 2, 2015

LARGO — A Pinellas judge on Tuesday delayed her decision for a third time on whether a U.S. Army officer accused of murdering a Clearwater man will be allowed to return to base before the trial starts.

Circuit Judge Chris Helinger is waiting to hear from a lieutenant colonel who has said that Maj. Roman Izzo would be able to complete basic requirements if he were allowed to return to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., despite restrictions placed on his military career by his involvement in the case.

However, prosecutor Gregory Baird said based on testimony from an army officer at a previous hearing that a suspension on Izzo's security clearance would prevent him from completing the responsibilities expected of him.

Also at the hearing, defense attorney Stephen Romine addressed discrepancies in witness testimony, including details about where and when the shots were fired, how long Vince Lee was dead before a doctor examined him and whether neighbors heard glass shattering consistent with reports that Lee's killer broke in through a sliding glass door.

To those points, Baird said there is no dispute as to the time neighbors reported hearing gun shots in the early hours of Nov. 16, 2011, and that Romine was ignoring other evidence, including Izzo's purchases and Internet searches around the time of the murder.

"We have a lot of testimony under oath that isn't what it seems to be," Helinger said.

Contact Kathryn Varn at (727) 893-8913 or kvarn@tampabay.com. Follow @kathrynvarn.