Judge grants change of venue for Santa Fe shooting trial

GALVESTON — A judge has ordered the forthcoming trial of the teenager charged in the Santa Fe High School shooting moved outside Galveston County, ruling for the defense, which argued that pretrial publicity and inflammatory social media comments precluded a fair trial locally.

State District Judge John Ellisor granted a change of venue motion filed by the defense attorney for Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 18, charged with capital murder in the shooting that killed 10 people and wounded 13 last May. The decision means a jury will be selected from a county of Ellisor's choosing.

Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, who had argued against a change of venue, said the judge would issue a written ruling later in the week.

"We believe the case could be tried here in Galveston County, but we absolutely respect the judge's ruling and we are ready to try the case wherever it needs to be tried," said Roady, the lead prosecutor.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/local/article/Judge-grants-change-of-venue-for-Santa-Fe-13650064.php