FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Marion County Circuit Judge Michael Aloi has granted a defense motion for a change of venue for Michael Palmer’s murder trial.
Palmer is accused of killing his father-in-law Everett Wilson in Dec. 2011. Police say Michael, along with his wife Kristin Palmer, shot Wilson to death. The shooting was originally described as a domestic incident in which Wilson tried to enter the Palmers’ home, damaging the front door. Michael Palmer allegedly shot Wilson once in the torso.
Palmer’s murder trial has delayed seven times. Most recently, his trial was postponed when lawyers were not able to seat a jury from a pool of 40 potential jurors. Most of the potential jurors knew either witnesses in the case or the police officers who investigated it. Moving the case to either Harrison or Marion County should produce a jury pool which does not know the individuals associated with the case.
The trial is scheduled to begin on March 10.