Convicted killer Ronnie Hyde appears in court, faces child pornography possession charges

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ronnie Hyde faced a judge Monday morning yet again.

Walking into the courtroom, this was his first time back in court since April 1 -- the day he was found guilty and convicted in the 1994 murder of 16-year-old Fred Laster.

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However, there are still charges Hyde has to face. Court documents from 2017 show that Hyde has been charged with 25 counts of child pornography possession.

After Hyde’s March 7, 2017 arrest for the murder of Laster, the FBI searched his Jacksonville Beach home for days, finding disturbing photos and videos.

Hyde’s attorney had earlier filed a motion at the Duval County Courthouse for a new trial.

The judge denied that motion on Monday.

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Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson weighed in.

“It’s not unusual at all for that trial court, who was present during the entire process and heard all the evidence, to deny a motion for a new trial,” Carson said.

The judge did agree on a two-week wait to allow for negotiation on the child pornography counts.

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That came as a surprise to Carson and something he believes may not be the best use of everyone’s time.

“The result is he would serve life in prison and then serve other time,” Carson said. “That’s not even possible.”

Each count equals more than 10 images of sexual performance by child. Again, Hyde is facing 25 counts.

Hyde’s next status conference is set for April 25.

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