By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — The murder trial of a man who claimed he helped a distressed motivational speaker from Long Island kill himself is set to begin in November, a judge decided Wednesday.
Kenneth Minor, 38, initially faced first-degree murder and robbery charges after allegedly killing Jeffrey Locker, who was found dead in his SUV near the Triboro Bridge on July 16, 2009.
But prosecutors later dropped the charges down to second-degree murder and manslaughter after finding that the motivational speaker researched funeral arrangements and the terms of his life insurance policy prior to his death.
Minor claims he was given Locker's ATM card as payment for helping him stab himself to death.
A Nov. 17 trial date was set by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Carol Berkman although Minor's attorney is still trying to have the case sent back to a grand jury before it could proceed further.
Prosecutors ordered further testing of DNA evidence recovered at the crime scene because the first tests are inadmissible, they reported Wednesday.
