A hearing was held this (Wed) morning in Dickinson County District Court on a motion by defense attorneys seeking a change of venue in the trial of a man accused in the shooting earlier this year of Shelby Woizeschke in the parking lot at GrapeTree Medical Staffing in Milford.
An upgraded charge of first degree murder was filed against Christian Goyne Yarnes after Woizeschke died days later. Defense attorney Brendan Kelly cited pre-trial publicity in his request to move the trial out of Dickinson county, claiming it will make it difficult to seat an unbiased jury…(audio clip below :14 )
Prosecuting attorney Susan Krisko with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, argued that in her view, the standard for a change of venue hasn’t been met…(audio clip below :12)
Kelly also argued that the lockdowns and other things that happened in the community immediately following the incident, which happened on February 3rd of this year, could also make it difficult to seat an unbiased jury locally. Krisko argued that shouldn’t be used as a standard to move the trial.
Judge Carl Petersen didn’t issue a ruling today (Wed), saying he will give both sides seven days to submit more information before making a determination on the change of venue request. A firm trial date hasn’t been set yet.
(courtesy KUOO in Spirit Lake)
