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A preliminary hearing set next month for Nathan Sloop, charged in the slaying of 4-year-old Ethan Stacy, has again been delayed.
Both sides agreed to the cancellation Thursday, a court official said. Sloop's defense attorney, Richard Mauro, said the delay was "to give us some additional time to do a few things," but declined to discuss specifics.
No new date was set for the hearing.
Nathan Sloop, 32, and Stephanie Sloop, 28, are both charged with aggravated murder in connection with the boy's 2010 death.
Charging documents allege the Layton couple engaged in multiple acts of "severe abuse" between April 29 and May 8 in 2010, which led to Ethan's death, including "beatings, burning, drugging, isolating, malnourishing, leaving the child alone and unattended while suffering, and refusing to seek vital life-sustaining medical attention."
At preliminary hearings, prosecutors must show enough evidence to a judge to demonstrate there is sufficient cause for a defendant to stand trial. Defense attorneys have the opportunity to challenge that evidence and seek a dismissal or reduction of the charges.
A preliminary hearing for Stephanie Sloop has yet to be scheduled.