Attorneys for an Annandale man facing 25 federal porn charges have requested a change of venue for their client’s trial, due to pre-trial publicity. 53-year-old Daniel Heinrich is also a person of interest in the Jacob Wetterling abduction. Hamline University Professor Stephen Arnott says moving a federal case is rare.
“The most recent best known one which was attempted was the Boston Marathon trial where the motion to change venue was denied. Probably the best known example of one that succeeded was the Timothy McVeigh case and that was way back in 1995, the Oklahoma bombing case…where the venue was actually moved to Colorado.”
Arnott says “the defense is focusing on the publicity that the allegations have received. The prosecution is going to say well we’re going to be able to screen potential jurors for any partiality and it’s better that the trial occur where the alleged crimes took place.”
Heinrich’s trial is set for July. No word yet on when the judge will make his ruling.