Maxwell Anderson attorneys need two months to review evidence in ongoing murder case

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Sade Robinson murder case continued Thursday afternoon as her alleged killer, Maxwell Anderson, appeared briefly in court.

Anderson's attorneys and state prosecutors are working to set a timeline for when the trial will proceed.

On Thursday, Maxwell Anderson's attorney asked the judge for nearly two months' time to review the mountain of evidence in this case. That means they will not proceed until mid-July.

Thursday's scheduling conference lasted just a few minutes, but Anderson did appear in person, handcuffed and in the orange jumpsuit he's worn since he was taken into custody more than a month ago for allegedly killing and dismembering Sade Robinson.

He did not speak Thursday as he sat next to his attorneys.

His attorney, Anthony Cotton, asked the judge for time to review a mountain of evidence in his murder case, saying, "Candidly, we can't figure out a strategy until we've gone through everything." Judge Mark Sanders said, "Makes sense."

Cotton said it amounts to about one terabyte of data, most of it video. He said, "Surveillance video, bus video, traffic cam video, a variety of... crime lab records, a variety of material."

Robinson's family filled the front two rows of the courtroom gallery as they continue to follow the legal proceedings. They did not speak after the hearing, but a friend did.

Dee-Dee Davis said, "It's never done because you no longer have your child." She added, "You don't get closure. It's not like you have all of her to be done. And it's never done because you no longer have your child."

The judge set the next hearing for July 12, nearly two months from now, frustrating Sade's loved ones who want proceedings to move quickly.

Davis said, "Clearly, after waiting now, and having to wait an additional 60 days, it's not going to be quick."

The family has talked openly about the difficulty of finding closure with an open court case and missing body parts.

Dr. Erika Brown, a friend of Sade Robinson's mother, told us, "Sheena wants the rest of her daughter."

Brown was in Madison Thursday for an event about missing black women and girls when we confirmed a body part was discovered in Illinois.

Brown said, "I really can't speak much about any discoveries. I don't want to be an individual who taints the case in any way."

Brown said right now, Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough, cannot think about burial or cremation plans.

As the legal case continues, we also confirmed the blood investigators found in Anderson's house was animal blood, not human.

That house was sold this month to an undisclosed buyer at $77,000 less than its assessed value, according to online records.

Illinois investigators are waiting on DNA testing to confirm the identity of the arm that was found in Waukegan.

Meanwhile, Sade Robinson's family and friends continue to search for her body parts.