The trial of four people accused of torturing a boy in Tracy for more than a year was pushed back from February to October of 2010.

Judge Terrance Van Oss ruled that deputy public defender Jennifer Perkins, the new attorney for defendant Kelly Lau, needs more time to catch up in the complex case in which four defendants could face life in prison.

Van Oss said October 12 was the earliest trial date that could be arranged to fit the schedule of the judge as well as five attorneys in the case, prosecutor Angela Hayes and four defense attorneys.

A grand jury this summer indicted Michael Schumacher and his wife Kelly Lau, Carén Ramirez and neighbor Anthony Waiters on 17 counts of torturing for more than a year a 16-year-old boy while he was allegedly held captive in the Schumacher and Lau home on Tennis Lane.

Ramirez also stayed with Schumacher and Lau, and Waiters was a neighbor who lived a few doors down.

The boy was allegedly chained to a fireplace, beaten with a baseball bat, burned, cut and starved while in the home, and the defendants are accused of talking in front of the boy about killing him as well. Defense attorneys have so far unsuccessfully fought to have some charges dropped or reduced.

In court today, Hayes said she wanted an earlier trial date but it was essentially impossible to find one that fit everyone’s schedules. Schumacher defense attorney John Casaneve noted that he was ready for the February trial date. Attorney Allen Jose represents Waiters, and Doug Jacobsen is the attorney for Ramirez.

But Perkins needs more time, the judge said, and despite his worry that witnesses’ memories “are getting stale,” the trial is now set for fall of next year.

The defendants will be back in court for further arraignment on Jan. 25.

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