Change of venue granted, motion to dismiss charge taken into advisement in Joseph Elledge case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Boone County Circuit judge granted a change of venue for jury selection in the case of Joseph Elledge on Monday.
The court motion filed by Elledge's attorney John O'Connor on Jan. 10 was approved by Boone County Circuit Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs. Online court documents show Elledge's attorney has until 5 p.m. on Feb. 4 to submit a list of proposed counties for jury selection.
Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight opposed the change of venue on Jan. 23.
ABC 17 News reached out to the Boone County Prosecutor's Office and Elledge's defense about today's court hearing, neither group responded.
Online court documents show Elledge's jury trial is scheduled to start on Feb. 25.
Elledge's attorney filed a motion to dismiss a felony count of endangering the welfare of a child on Monday. O'Connor said Boone County prosecutors failed to state how the charge was linked to the disappearance of his wife Mengqi Ji Elledge.
The motion to dismiss was taken into advisement by the court. Online court records show the prosecution has until 5 p.m. on Feb. 5 to submit an objection to the motion.
Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight originally filed felony charges for child neglect and endangering the welfare of a child on Oct. 25. He later filed another charge of endangering the welfare of a child based on a superseding indictment.
Elledge pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Mengqi Ji was reported missing in October. Mid-Missouri law enforcement agencies have searched an area of the Lamine River in Cooper County many times since her disappearance.
