By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A Louisiana man charged with stabbing and killing his infant daughter and the baby’s mother is scheduled to appear in the Shelby County Courthouse in February after his trial was delayed this month.

Citing a pending mental evaluation, attorneys for 36-year-old Terrance Patterson on Nov. 7 submitted a request to continue Patterson’s trial, which originally was scheduled to begin on Nov. 18.

According to the motion for continuance, Patterson’s “psychologist has examined the defendant, but has not provided his written opinion as of the date of the filing of this motion. The defense expects that opinion in the very near future.”

The motion also states “the attorneys for the defendant are not completely prepared for trial due to additional documents that need to be examined and witnesses to be interviewed.”

The request to continue the trial was “discussed with no objections being presented by the state or the defense,” read the motion.

According to court records posted on Nov. 15, Patterson’s trial now is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2014 in front of Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves.

Alabaster police arrested Patterson in July 2011 and charged him with two counts of capital murder after police said he allegedly stabbed and killed Columbiana resident Tryphena Lacey, 24, and her daughter, 9-month-old Trinity Lacey Patterson, in Room 11 at the Shelby Motor Lodge. He pleaded not guilty to the two counts of capital murder during an August 2011 hearing at the Shelby County Courthouse.

During a Sept. 20 hearing, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves denied a motion filed by Patterson’s attorneys seeking to bar the death penalty. According to court documents, Gary Young and Michael Shores have been appointed to represent Patterson.

During the Sept. 20 hearing, Reeves said he would like to begin Patterson’s trial as soon as possible, noting the case is nearly two years old.

Alabaster Police Chief Curtis Rigney previously said the case was the first double-homicide in the city’s history.