Overview
- The defense filed a motion on Tuesday asking Judge Debra McCaslin to hold the April 2027 double-murder retrial in the Richland County Courthouse in Columbia.
- McCaslin ruled on Aug. 14 that the retrial must be moved out of Colleton County and nearby 14th Circuit counties because many local residents already hold strong opinions about the case.
- Defense lawyers argue Richland will provide a comparable-sized venire to Charleston, similar racial demographics to Colleton and savings on lodging and travel for lawyers and prosecutors.
- State prosecutors had opposed holding the retrial in Charleston, citing downtown traffic, limited parking, flooding risk and the shared media market with Colleton that could undercut juror impartiality.
- The court has allowed limited reuse of prior testimony and new DNA testing while it leaves unresolved other pretrial motions, and the judge has not yet selected the replacement venue.