The attorney for Jose M. Valentin requested a continuance of the case during the first pretrial hearing in Henry County Circuit Court Thursday.

Filling in for Valentin’s attorney, Jonathan Ruud, was attorney Steve Hanna. Hanna requested the continuance, telling the Court that the defense was still waiting on discovery. Henry County State’s Attorney Catherine Runty did not object, telling Judge Terry Patton that the state was still waiting on reports to come back.

Judge Patton granted the continuance until July but continued the denial of pretrial release ordered by Judge Colby Hathaway at the preliminary hearing in April.

Valentin, 43, Galva, is charged with two counts of murder in the death of 31-year-old Jimmy Hollins II of Kewanee. The charge is a Class M felony, which carries a potential sentence of 20 to 60 years in prison.

Hollins was found lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound to his neck on Sunday, March 24. After an investigation, police arrested Valentin several days later and charged him in Hollins’ death.

During the April preliminary hearing, Kewanee Police Det. Trey Kazubowski testified that during the investigation a text message from Valentin revealed that there was an altercation between Hollins and Valentin. Hollins reportedly punched Valentin, who then displayed a firearm and fired it at Hollins, killing him.

At that time, Judge Hathaway denied a defense petition for pretrial release, stating that the defendant “presented a real and present threat to the community.” Valentin will remain in the custody of the Henry County Jail.

Hollins’ family, his mother Lesa Griffin and cousin Tamara Vaughn, were in the courtroom for the pretrial hearing. Griffin said she intends to be at every hearing.

“I will be at every one,” she said. “I want him to do life. I don’t want him to see the light of day.”

Vaughn said the family wants justice for Jimmy, calling the shooting senseless.

The next pretrial hearing is set for July 11.