The judge overseeing the Julio Foolio murder case, Michelle Sisco, has been removed following a decision by a Florida appellate court.
Alicia Andrews, who was convicted of manslaughter in October after an eight-day trial, had her attorney, Jeremy McLymont, file a petition to delay sentencing and disqualify Sisco.
The petition cited “hostile comments” and “obvious bias” from the judge, as highlighted by Legal Affairs and Trial coverage with Meghann Cuniff. In response, Chief Judge Christopher Sabella is now tasked with appointing a new judge to handle the case moving forward.
Cuniff reported that McLymont’s petition argued Judge Sisco lacked “cold neutrality” and actively sought Andrews’ conviction. This included allegedly ridiculing Andrews’ defense team while treating the prosecution’s witnesses more favorably.
Although Andrews avoided a conviction for first-degree murder in relation to Julio Foolio’s fatal shooting, she still faced up to 15 years for the manslaughter charge.
Three days before her sentencing was set to proceed, the appellate court granted a temporary delay and gave prosecutors 30 days to provide justification as to why Sisco should not be disqualified.
McLymont expressed approval of the appellate court’s decision, stating that it was a step toward ensuring justice and fairness. He revealed intentions to pursue a new trial and reiterated that Andrews deserved a fair process under the legal system. He remained confident that litigation will ultimately lead to granting Andrews another trial.
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) January 28, 2026
