Jury pool is called for German murder trial

    Jury summons notices have been mailed to 125 Chase County residents for Kevin German’s upcoming 1st degree murder-kidnapping trial.
    County Clerk Debbie Clark said the 125 notices her office sent out is higher than usual, but those numbers vary depending on whether it’s a criminal or civil trial.
    “This is higher than normal,” Clark said Friday.
    She said the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting the state’s case in Chase County, requested the number of summonses.
    Two full weeks had originally been blocked off on the Chase County District Court calendar for the trial, starting Monday, July 18, and continuing to July 29.
    However, at an April 28 status hearing held at the court’s request, there was concern cited whether two weeks was sufficient.
    At that time, District Court Judge Patrick Heng, who will preside over the trial, extended the proceedings three more days until Aug. 3.
    German, 26, is charged with first degree murder and two counts of felony kidnapping in the November 2019 death of Annika Swanson of Imperial. He has pled not guilty on all counts, and continues to be jailed in North Platte without bond.
    Keonna Carter, who is also charged with first degree murder and one  felony count of kidnapping in the case, has been jailed in North Platte since being transferred from Chase County.
    Carter is listed in court documents as a potential witness in German’s trial, along with a host of others.
    There have been no updates on Carter’s court case since late 2020.
    Michael Guinan of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is serving as Special Deputy Chase County Attorney for the prosecution.
    Clarence Mock of Omaha is representing German.