KEY POINTS

  • Halsell, 63, was charged with reckless murder in 2016
  • His trial was delayed because of the death of the father of the head attorney
  • Halsell was a former NASA astronaut

An Alabama judge delayed the reckless murder trial of former NASA astronaut James Halsell which killed two girls back in 2016.

Huntsville resident and former space shuttle commander Halsell, 63, was scheduled to go on trial on Monday but his appearance was postponed due to the defense's request in lieu of the death of the father of the lead attorney Jim Sturdivant, which the judge approved, ABC News reported.

No new date was set and in the meantime, Halsell is free on bond.

Halsell was arrested following a car crash four years ago which killed sisters Niomi Deon James, 11, and Jayla Latrick Parker, 13, and seriously injured their father and a woman.

Authorities believe that the accident was due to driving under the influence of alcohol but the defense said that Halsell was on sleeping medications during that time.

Halsell previously worked in the private aerospace industry prior to the accident, flew five shuttle missions and spent 1,200 hours in space before retiring from NASA in 2006.

Astronaut
Pictured: European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alexander Gerst, Expedition 41 flight engineer, uses a camera to make a photo of his helmet visor during a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) outside the International Space Station (ISS) October 7, 2017 in space. NASA via Getty Images
NASA