CLEVELAND, Ohio — The capital murder trial of suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell should start in three to four months, the judge handling the case said Wednesday.

Sowell appeared in court for the 15-minute hearing in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Timothy McGinty’s courtroom. He barely spoke beyond giving short, affirmative answers to McGinty’s questionssuch as: “yes sir” and “yes your honor.”

Sowell pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity last week to 11 counts of aggravated murder and other charges. Investigators found 11 women dead at Sowell’s home on Imperial Avenue. He also was charged in three other attacks on women.

McGinty ruled on a handful of requests from defense attorneys and set the timeline to begin the trial at Wednesday’s hearing. He said the trial must take place in 180 days, but asked prosecutors and defense attorney John Parker to try to resolve any procedural issues and start the trial in three to four months.

“I’d like to try this case as soon as possible,” McGinty said.

Sowell’s trial would have had to start sooner, but he waived his right to a speedy trial on Wednesday because his court-appointed defense lawyers, Parker and Rufus Sims, need more time to prepare.

McGinty approved the court paying for Sowell’s defense team to hire a mental health professional, an investigator and a mitigation specialist, whose task will be to keep Sowell off death row. McGinty also ordered a fence installed around Sowell’s house on Imperial Avenue to preserve the crime scene.

Attorney Ian Friedman, the immediate past-president of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said McGinty’s actions will help Sowell receive a fair trial.

“As this may prove to be a very complex case, it is important to afford the defense ample time to prepare,” Friedman said in an e-mail message. “Even the most unpopular cases are deserved of effective and complete defenses. To ensure that the verdict is sound and not subject to later challenge, this is not a case to rush.”

While McGinty granted most of the requests, he denied a gag order sought by Sowell’s lawyers. The gag order would have prevented both sides from speaking to the media about the case.

The next pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Dec. 21.