Suspect accused in MU hazing incident requests case to be moved out of Boone County
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
One of the 11 men charged in the University of Missouri Fraternity hazing incident wants to see his case moved out of Boone County.
Thomas Shultz, who is a former Phi Gamma Delta member, had a court appearance on Tuesday for his request to have his case moved.
His attorney, Brent Haden, said in court that Shultz won't get a fair trial in Boone County due to the amount of media coverage the case has been getting.
Haden, who appeared via video told Judge Josh Harris that he wants to see the case moved to a different county or for the jury to be brought from outside of Boone County.
"I want my client a fair trial and I don't believe this is a matter of judicial efficiency, it's much easier to say okay let's pull from a normal pool of people that are untainted, rather than let's bring in 200 people and hope that we find people that don't have an opinion about what went on in this case," Haden said.
Prosecutor Nicholas Komoroski who also appeared via video in court on Tuesday said he has tried cases in the past in Boone County that has had a large amount of media coverage and those cases had a fair trial and he thinks this one will too.
Komoroski said, "I think we'll be able to do so in this case, and I think we'll obtain a call from Boone county residents who are fair and impartial to hear this case."
Judge Harris says he will be taking the motion under advisement and will decide at a later time.
Schultz has been charged with hazing-life endangerment, tampering with physical evidence and supplying alcohol to a minor in the hazing incident that left Danny Santulli unable to walk, see or communicate.
Schultz is due back in court on August 22nd.
Alec Wetzler, a former Phi Gamma Delta member, (Fiji) has also been charged in the incident had a case review scheduled for Tuesday but has been moved to September 27th due to Komoroski being put on the case last week and needing more time.
Wetzler has been charged with two counts of buying and giving alcohol to a minor in the incident.
