Friday, July 31, 2009

Change of venue denied in manslaughter case


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Cody William Stevens

Fifth District Court Judge John K. Butler has denied a change of venue in a vehicular manslaughter case against a Twin Falls man accused of causing a fatal car accident in Hailey.

In a decision filed earlier this week, Butler ruled that the trial for 28-year-old Cody William Stevens can be held in Blaine County. Butler's ruling was "without prejudice," which means that he will reconsider his decision if new evidence surfaces regarding pretrial publicity in the case.

Stevens was charged with the crime for allegedly causing the death on March 10 of Bertilia Lyn Redfern, a 53-year-old Hailey legal secretary, in a traffic collision north of the intersection of Countryside Boulevard and state Highway 75.

Stevens' trial is scheduled to start Oct. 27.

Public defender Douglas Werth filed a motion to have the trial moved, claiming that pretrial publicity would be prejudicial against his client. Arguments on the motion were heard by Butler in Hailey on July 21.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com




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