A change of venue request has been granted in a case involving two former police officers in south-central Iowa’s Union County. The sexual abuse trial for former Creston Police Chief James Christensen and former Assistant Chief John Sickels will now be held in Sioux City to be heard in Woodbury County District Court.
Both defense attorneys say the nearly 200-mile distance will provide for a more unbiased jury. Christensen and Sickels were fired this summer after allegedly assaulting a bartender at the Crestmoor Golf Club in April. They’re both being tried for second-degree sexual abuse following an investigation by the Iowa DCI.
The trial is still scheduled to be held on December 15th, but the lawyers are hoping for a continuance.