Anthony Garcia’s defense team wants his case moved out of Douglas County.
During a hearing Friday in Douglas County District Court, defense attorney Robert Motta Jr. argued that media coverage of pretrial hearings has biased a potential pool of jurors. Motta presented the results of a telephone survey done March 25 through 30. The automated poll asked eight questions regarding how much people knew about the case.
Motta says 74 percent of people polled believe Garcia is guilty. He also presented four reports documenting media coverage of court hearings as evidence Garcia won’t get a fair trial.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine cited other high-profile cases that were tried in Omaha---including the Nikko Jenkins case---as an argument against a change of venue.
Motta also cited media attention in his motion to sequester jurors during Garcia’s upcoming trial, which could begin in September. Kleine says sequestration would be expensive and is unnecessary.
Dougherty did not rule on the motions Friday.
Garcia is accused of killing Thomas Hunter and Shirlee Sherman at Hunter’s Dundee home in 2008, and Dr. Roger Brumback and his wife, Mary, in 2013.