Officials to examine accused Kissimmee cop killer's social media activity as trial nears

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Accused Kissimmee cop killer Everett Miller is set to go on trial in a couple of weeks for the August 2017 murders of Officer Matthew Baxter and Sergeant Sam Howard. 

In a new court ruling, a judge gave preliminary approval for prosecutor Ryan Williams to use some of Miller's social media posts to build his case.

Officials said Miller had a a Facebook page where he changed his screen name to "Malik Mohammad Ali" and had posts that included references to the beliefs of Moorish sovereign citizens. Investigators said Miller used hashtags such as "MakeAmerikkaMoorAgain" and "MoorsRBack."

Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it seems that prosecutors are trying to show that Miller had become radicalized with anti-government and anti-law enforcement beliefs leading up to the murders of Baxter and Howard. It's evidence officials use more often in federal cases involving acts of terrorism.

"It goes to the motive of why the defendant committed this act of terrorism," Sheaffer said. "In this case however, state prosecution wants to show what the defendant's motive was in the double homicide."

Miller is due back in court on Thursday.

He faces first-degree murder charges in the shooting deaths of Officer Baxter and Sgt. Howard.

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