Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother is set to dodge his court appearance Wednesday, letting his lawyers instead enter his plea of not guilty to charges he raped and killed her while they were on a cruise.
Timothy Hudson had been scheduled to show up in the morning at Miami federal court, where he is being tried as an adult for allegedly fatally strangling his 18-year-old cheerleader stepsister on the Carnival Cruise ship Horizon in November and then cramming her body under the bed in the room they were staying in together
But Hudson’s lawyer, Eric Cohen, who is with the Federal Public Defenders, filed papers Tuesday afternoon waiving the teen’s appearance at his arraignment in adult court and entering a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
The hearing is still expected to go forward but will likely be very brief, with Hudson not in attendance, Cohen said.
Hudson was initially charged as a juvenile, and the case had been sealed until it was transferred to adult court earlier this month when a grand jury indicted him on one count of murder and one count of sexual assault. He is still being referred to in court papers as T. H. because of his age.
The teen has been out of jail and staying with his paternal uncle since he was charged in February — a fact which prompted outrage from Kepner’s dad, Christopher Kepner, who is married to Hudson’s mother.
The judge did not require bail at the time before releasing Hudson but said he must wear a GPS ankle monitor while he’s free.
Prosecutors have since requested that the set-up be revoked and Hudson be remanded since he’s now being tried as an adult.
Hudson “committed these crimes against a victim with whom he had no apparent relational strife, and whom he was being raised to view as a sibling,” Assistant US Attorney Alejandra López said in a court filing.
“Furthermore, he carried out these crimes without any warning he could commit such atrocious acts, and despite an apparent supportive family environment.”
On Monday, Hudson’s legal team with the Federal Public Defenders argued he should remain free since he’s proven for the past two months that he will follow bail conditions.
“As the past two months have unequivocally demonstrated, there is a combination of conditions that can be placed on T.H.’s liberty to ensure that he is not a danger to the community,” his lawyers wrote to the judge.
Both sides have requested a hearing over the bail issue. It is not clear if the issue will be addressed at Wednesday’s hearing.
Hudson faces up to life being bars if convicted on either of the charges against him.
The body of Kepner, a high-school senior, was found wrapped in a blanket and covered in life jackets under a bed the morning of Nov. 7 by a cleaning lady tidying the cabin during the six-day cruise.
Hudson was reportedly “obsessed” with Kepner and was once caught trying to sexually assault her when he climbed on top of her while she was asleep, her ex-boyfriend’s dad, Steven Westin, told “Inside Edition” in November.
Kepner’s father, Christopher, told the Daily Mail, “We’re upset that he’s still out.
“I want to see him in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. He does not need to be free. He does not need to be in the general public, around any kids or women in general,” the father said.
Cohen declined to comment on the allegations.
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