Opinion ID: 412737
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Change of Venue Hearing.

Text: 22 Prior to trial, Harris moved for a change of venue. The defense counsel offered two pieces of evidence in support of the motion: (1) a local newspaper account reporting the murder and displaying a picture of the defendant, and (2) an affidavit of four Monroe County residents who stated that they did not believe that Harris could receive a fair trial in Monroe County. The court advised defense counsel that the affiants would be subject to cross-examination, but the attorneys had not asked any of the affiants to appear in court. The defense counsel presented no witnesses in support of the motion. The state produced seven witnesses in support of their position that the defendant could obtain a fair trial in Monroe County. Unsurprisingly, Harris's motion for a change of venue was denied. 23 We cannot say that the petitioner would have received a change of venue had defense counsel presented witnesses in support of the motion. The case, however, presented the classic situation for seeking a change of venue: a heinous crime against an elderly couple in a rural community. The crime received considerable local attention. The importance to Harris of a change of venue was such that reasonably competent attorneys would have obtained witnesses, or otherwise made a more effective case, on behalf of the motion. 24