MISSOULA — Attorneys for a western Montana man charged with killing and dismembering two people have requested a change of venue for his trial, citing the extensive media coverage of the case.
The Missoulian reports attorneys for 27-year-old Augustus Standingrock in the motion filed Wednesday argue the publicity has precluded their efforts to find an impartial local jury.
His trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 4 in Missoula County.
They say they have worked with a polling expert to gauge residents’ thoughts about the case, finding a majority of those surveyed knew somewhat about it.
Deputy county attorney Jennifer Clark says she suspects the polling effort may be a “delay tactic.”
Standingrock and 25-year-old Tiffany Pierce are accused of killing 15-year-old Marilyn Pickett and 24-year-old Jackson Wiles in Missoula in August 2017.
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