A prosecutor ruled on Thursday that Colin Gray, the father of the shooting suspect at Apalachee High School, didn’t face a judge from the state where the incident occurred.
By way of his attorneys, Gray requested that the trial be moved about a month ago, citing Barrow County as a place where a feeling is” firmly set against him.”
Judge Nicholas Primm of Barrow County Superior Court acknowledged there may be discrimination, but he added that he needs to talk to different judicial circuits to see if a three-week test could be accommodated. The trial is scheduled to begin in September. According to Primm,” Venue may be changed, but it won’t be a , Barrow County , jurors.”
The test may be moved to another city, the judge said, or a judge from another country might be sent in for the trial.
In a reading on Thursday, Gray’s attorney, Jim Berry, cited considerable attention as one of the causes of the case’s transfer to a different court system. Additionally, he cited a number of community events and fundraisers that showed help for the victims of the September 4 firing.
District Attorney Brad Smith, who was in favor of changing the location of the case, said that the case should be moved forward, but not because of pre-trial promotion, noting that many news outlets in the state and the southeast had coverage of the school shooting.
Because all of Barrow County, Barrow County, was a victim in this case, Smith said, is the reason the state is consenting to transform the place.
Moving the case to some smaller or farther away counties might have its own problems, including witnesses being forced to travel far distances, probable costs, safety concerns, and lodge shortages, which could have led to witnesses, security attorneys, and the media staying near by.
Smith suggested moving the circumstance to Walton County, which is just north of Barrow County, claiming that the demographics were comparable to those in Barrow County. However, he argued that the judge should only be chosen for the trial in Barrow, followed by jury selection.
Berry argued that the priority should be a location where an impartial jury can be seated, not the case’s attorneys ‘ and witnesses ‘ cheapest and most convenient location.
I don’t believe anywhere in this epicenter will allow us to locate a place where we can get an objective and honest jury, Berry said, recommending counties in South Georgia and  .
According to Barrow County, Sheriff of his state, Jud Smith, Jr., testified that moving the trial outside of his state would make it harder for his office to handle transitions because officers in those counties and in neighboring counties may become witnesses in the case.
Smith claimed to have spoken with some of the regions Berry had suggested, including Bryan County, and that they had been informed that a trial of this size would not be possible.
Given that many people who reside in that region may have friends or family who reside in , Barrow County, Primm said he was concerned about the close vicinity of , Walton County.
The more likely we are to have judges who have been impacted or have gone through some of the problems of what transpired, according to Primm.
Colin Gray is still imprisoned despite Primm’s recommendation to release him in February. He mandated that Gray receive money compensation without making any inquiries of the witnesses.
Since September, Gray has been detained at the Barrow County Adult Detention Center. A bond worth more than$ 1 million had been requested by the prosecution.
If he makes a friendship, Gray is expected to reside in Cherokee County with his girlfriend. Primm claimed at the bond hearing that he had not seen any evidence of Gray probably fleeing, being a threat to the neighborhood, felony-committing, or intimidating witnesses.
Once more, the court was filled with the victims of the college shootings ‘ families and friends.
After prosecutors allege he knowingly allowed his 14-year-old child, Colt Gray, to possess a weapon, he is facing 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary murder, five counts of reckless do, and 20 works of child cruelty. He faces life in prison if found guilty.
The teenager is accused of shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4th, leaving two students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, dead, as well as two teachers, Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, both of whom are currently on bail. Nine people received injuries.
Colt Gray was charged with 55 counts, including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated battery, first-degree cruelty to children, and aggravated assault. He entered a not-guilty plea, waived the arraignment, and failed to show up in court in November.
Additionally, Colt Gray’s attorneys also filed a motion to move the case out of Barrow County. The attorneys claimed in the motion that a venue change is necessary” to ensure Gray receives a fair trail before an impartial jury.”
Additionally, Colt Gray’s attorneys contend that the case had received extensive media coverage, which could have an effect on the impartiality of the jury. A hearing to address Colt Gray’s motion is scheduled for May 6th, 2018.
Colin Gray’s murder is thought to be the first of its kind in Georgia and Georgia, and only the second in the country after the parents of a , Michigan , school shooter , were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. In both cases, the parents were accused of allowing the children to have access to guns and disregarding warning signs that their children might be violent.
According to the indictment, Colin Gray and his son Colt Gray were given access to a gun and ammunition” after receiving sufficient warning that [Colt Gray ] would harm and endanger another person’s bodily safety” and” with criminal negligence” led to the four victims ‘ deaths.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2025.
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