WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — A former University of Maine football player, charged with first-degree murder in Florida, is scheduled to appear in court this week to seek permission for his mother and grandmother visit him on either Christmas or Christmas Eve.
Zedric Joseph is charged with first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and burglary while armed in connection with a violent attack on March 7 that caused the death of 23-year-old Ricardy Chery and injured Joseph’s former girlfriend Vashti Laurore.
Joseph was arrested in Georgia on March 12 but fought extradition and was not transferred back to Florida until June 4. He has been held in jail in West Palm Beach since.
Another hearing in the case, known as a status check, is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2015, at which time a trial date could be set.
Joseph is scheduled to appear Thursday, Dec. 18, in West Palm Beach County Courthouse on the visitation motion.
The court approved a request by the state on Nov. 14 to revoke Joseph’s right to have visitors, make calls or send out letters to anyone but his attorney. The reason for that action was not immediately available Monday.
Public defender Carey Haughwout filed a motion last Thursday asking the court to allow Joseph’s mother and grandmother to visit him on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The defense attorney argued that it was extremely unhealthy for Joseph to be cut off from his family. He has a close relationship with the two women, the attorney argued.
Laurore, who also is the mother of Joseph’s daughter, called 911 from her apartment in West Palm Beach on March 7 to report that she and her friend Chery had been stabbed.
Both victims were taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center where Chery was pronounced dead after suffering severe stab wounds. Laurore had a severe cut to her left hand.
She told police she and Chery were in the bedroom of her locked apartment when Joseph broke through the bedroom door holding a knife. He immediately and without provocation began stabbing Chery, according to a police affidavit filed in the case.
Chery rolled off the bed in an attempt to get away and begged Joseph to stop stabbing him. Joseph then told the victim he was going to die and he was going to “learn,” according to the affidavit.
Joseph allegedly ordered both Laurore and Chery to get on their knees on the floor, and he began kicking Chery in the abdomen and spitting on him, police reported.
The woman begged Joseph to stop, but he put the knife against her throat and told her she was going to “die today,” according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s report.
She grabbed the knife to pull it away, and Joseph allegedly cut her severely in the thumb and palm of her left hand. He subsequently left, police said.
Laurore and Joseph had been in a relationship for about five years and had one child.
Joseph had been accused of attacking Laurore before, when they lived together with her son and their child in Orono in 2012. UMaine police arrested Joseph on charges of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening and misdemeanor assault on Dec. 17, 2012, after Laurore — whose name is spelled Vasthi Laurori in Maine court documents — told officers that Joseph had tried to strangle her twice and threatened to kill her in a jealous rage.
Joseph took a plea bargain on a disorderly conduct charge, for which he spent 48 hours in jail. He also was suspended from the school and the football team on an interim basis after the 2012 incident, according to UMaine officials, but returned to the football field the next season.
After being named a suspect in the West Palm Beach stabbing, Joseph was suspended again on March 8 from UMaine, where he was studying child development and family relations.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.