Defense attorney Ben McGowan on Monday objected to trying a defendant in the Lookout Valley trailer park shooting case on its four-year anniversary.
However, Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman indicated that he planned to stay firm with the April 10, 2018, trial date for Skyler Allen.
Derek Morse was convicted by a jury last week on three counts of murder and one of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jacob Allison, identified as the driver of the vehicle that went to the Rolling Hills Trailer Park on April 9, 2014, is due back in court on Wednesday.
Killed were John "Jake" Lamb, Caleb Boozer and Jon Morris. Matthew Callan was left for dead, but survived and was the star witness against Morse.
It was testified that the incident was payback for an event five days before in which Morris tried to set up Morse behind the Food Lion on Brown's Ferry Road. However, Morse noticed that Morris was accompanied by two men, including one armed with a tire iron. He started shooting at them.
Attorney McGowan said he would be available to try the case earlier - as soon as Dec. 5.
Lance Pope, one of the prosecutors in the case, noted that the other prosecutor, Cameron Williams, was not in court to respond to the trial date change.
Prosecutor Pope said two weeks had been left open to try the case on the April 10 date.
He said the evidence "is significantly different" in the Allen case than the case just tried.
Judge Steelman said it had been four years "and we need to try this case."