The Minnesota 17-year-old charged in the killings of two convenience store clerks in northern Iowa may see one of his trials moved. The lawyer for Micheal R. Swanson has filed for a change of venue for the Humboldt County portion of his trial and a hearing on the matter has been scheduled for next week.
Swanson is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the deaths of Vicky Bowman Hall of Burt and Sheila Myers of Humboldt last November 15th at convenience stores in Algona and Humboldt. His trial in Humboldt County had originally been scheduled for June 20th, the hearing on the change of venue will be April 12th, next Tuesday, in Humboldt County District Court at 2 P.M. in Dakota City.
Swanson’s attorney is public defender Charles Kenville of Fort Dodge, who says in court papers filed that the trial should be moved because media coverage has “created a high degree of prejudice” against Swanson. Prosecutors agree, and urged the judge to move the trial.
By Chuck Shockley, KLGA, Algona