Efforts to arrive at a plea deal have apparently fallen through and a trial date has been set in the case against Branden Miskell, the 31-year-old prosecutors say tried to kill his boyfriend in a bloody January 2018 knife attack inside their Broadway apartment.”

According to court filings following a conference hearing last week, the case is now slated to go to trial early in January though it could face further delays. The court’s setting of a date ends a series of sessions in recent months dedicated to updates in discussions between prosecutors and Miskell’s laywer Saad Qadri over a possible plea deal.

“As you know the case is set for trial, and we are currently considering all options,” Qadri tells CHS. “It is our hope we can reach an amicable resolution.”

According to court documents, the defense was waiting on medical reports as negotiations continued this summer. A plea offer was made in August and Miskell’s legal representation said it was preparing a counter offer. By September, a counter offer from the defense was under consideration with Miskell’s lawyer seeking more time to “provide some medical and mental health determination for possible resolution.” But an October hearing on the status of the case came and went without a deal and the January trial date was set.

Police say Miskell admitted he was trying to kill his boyfriend after ingesting a large amount of cannabis before the horrific January 11th attack. Police at the scene said it appeared the attacker was exhibiting signs of excited delirium, a condition of extreme agitation and physical aggression usually associated with heavy drug use.

Miskell’s boyfriend was stabbed multiple times with a butcher knife and suffered serious injuries but survived the attack.

According to the police report on the incident, Miskell and the victim moved to Seattle together from Georgia and lived together in the third-floor Lyric building apartment where the attack unfolded.

Miskell has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in the case and continues to be held in King County Jail.

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