TAMPA, Fla. -- Two of the three men accused in the well-publicized shark-dragging case had Wednesday's scheduled court appearance pushed back.

  • Court appearance for shark-dragging suspects pushed back
  • Wildlife officials investigated theshark-dragging video
  • Video shows shark being dragged behind fast-moving boat

Wednesday's scheduled court appearance for Michael Wenzel and Robert Benac was pushed back to Aug. 21.

Previously, a Hillsborough County judge dropped charges against the third suspect last month. 

Judge Mark Wolfe dismissed charges against Spencer Heintz, 23, of Palmetto. 

All three had been charged with various animal cruelty charges.

In the video widely circulated starting in July 2017, the group of men could be seen on a boat, smiling, laughing and pointing at the shark as it flails in the wake behind a fast-moving boat.

That led to an FWC investigation and charges being filed. 

According to Bay News 9 legal analyst Kevin Hayslett, the dropped charges against one does not necessarily mean charges will be dropped against the other two suspects. 

"Just because they dismiss a case against one co-defendant doesn't really have anything to do with the other two," Hayslett said. "Other than there is lacking proof to show that maybe that one co-defendant was involved directly."

In fact, Hayslett said, the case could go to a jury trial. 

"At this point the FWC and state attorneys office has done a thorough job," Hayslett said. "They believe they can prove this case at trial and we may just wait to find what six people in Hillsborough county think about it."