NCJ Number
172152
Journal
ABA Journal Volume: 83 Dated: (November 1997) Pages: 66-68,70,72
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The change of venue of a high-profile Georgia murder trial from the Atlanta area to the small mountain town of La Fayette demonstrates the complexities and simplicities of changing a venue.
Abstract
The defendant was Fred Tokars, a former tax attorney, part-time Atlanta traffic judge, and Fulton County prosecutor. He was accused and eventually sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the contract murder of his wife in 1992. Extensive media coverage in the Atlanta area resulted in the change of venue to the small town. The trial began in January 1997 and required extensive preparations in the small town. The cost of moving the 9-week trial was reported by an Atlanta newspaper to be at least $312,000. The main consideration for the defense in moving the trial was to try the case in a place where residents did not receive Atlanta television stations or the newspaper. The trial received little attention in the small town, although it received extensive media coverage via Court TV and Atlanta television, radio, and newspaper reporters. Photographs