A man accused of kidnapping and severely injuring his former girlfriend last year will have his trial delayed until next year.

Topeka lawyer Pedro Irigonegaray asked District Judge Robert Fairchild on Thursday for a later trial date in the case of Matthew P. Jaeger, 23, because he took over for Carl Cornwell last month. Trial had been scheduled for October.

Fairchild rescheduled the trial to begin Feb. 9. Attorneys expect it to last three weeks.

Irigonegaray was a defense attorney for former Kansas State University professor Thomas Murray, who was convicted in 2005 of murdering his ex-wife, Carmin Ross, in Douglas County.

Prosecutors accuse Jaeger, a KU student at the time, of breaking into the woman’s Lawrence apartment and forcing her into his car after severely injuring her on Oct. 9, 2007, according to earlier testimony.

Jaeger has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated battery, aggravated burglary, bribery and making a criminal threat. He is free on $850,000 bond.