Brad Cooper's murder trial will stay in Wake
Raleigh, N.C. A Superior Court judge has denied a request to change the location for the murder trial of a Cary man accused of killing his wife more than two years ago.
Attorneys for Brad Cooper filed
the motion in August, saying their client couldn't get a fair trial in Wake County because of local news reports, specifically those from WRAL News and The Raleigh News & Observer, that they claim were "inflammatory" and "prejudiced" against Cooper.
"The defendant has failed to show that the nature and extent of the pre-trial publicity of this case will prevent a fair trial," Superior Court Judge Paul Gessner wrote in his ruling filed Thursday afternoon.
Gessner said he found the reports to be factual and non-inflammatory, adding that the length of time between the publicity and the trial, scheduled for January, has been "considerable."
"The defendant did not show there is a 'prevailing community atmosphere' that would prevent the defendant from receiving a fair trial," he continued in his ruling.
more at
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/8340565/