Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
The death of Philando Castile and the trial of Jeronimo Yanez
Jon Collins
St. Paul

Officer charged in Castile shooting pursues venue change

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Police Shooting Minnesota
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez outside the City Council chambers on Jan. 8, 2013.
Christian Dobratz via AP 2013

Updated 11:23 a.m. | Posted 8:18 a.m.

Attorneys for a police officer charged in the death of Philando Castile last summer are appealing the judge's decision not to move the trial out of Ramsey County.

St. Anthony Officer Jeronimo Yanez fatally shot Castile during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights on July 6. Yanez is charged in Ramsey County District Court with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm.

Defense attorneys first asked the Ramsey County District Court to move the case in March, arguing that it had become an "omnipresent spectacle," with protests, statements by public officials and a high level of media coverage.

Prosecutors countered that media organizations cited by the defense had wide reach into all parts of the state, and that social media and online news made it possible for people everywhere to access news accounts of the case.

That first request for a change in venue was denied by Ramsey County District Judge William Leary III earlier this month. He said in that decision that media coverage alone wasn't sufficient reason to move a trial, but that defense attorneys could make the request again if they weren't able to find impartial jurors.

In appealing the Ramsey County judge's decision to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Yanez's attorneys renewed many of their earlier arguments, including the recommendation that the case be moved elsewhere in Minnesota to Duluth, Hastings, St. Cloud or Brainerd.

The defense has also hired private investigator Craig Holm to interview dozens of residents of Brainerd and Duluth to gauge how familiar people in those cities are with the case.

In the report issued by Holm, he said that 10 percent of the people he interviewed in Brainerd knew of Castile, although 90 percent could recall something about the case when the investigator briefly discussed it. In Duluth, Holm said 20 percent of those interviewed knew of Castile.

Yanez's trial is currently scheduled to begin May 30 in St. Paul, with jury questioning to start the next day.