COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — Lawyers representing a former Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a Black man have requested a new venue for his second murder trial .
Jason Meade’s lawyers filed a charge Thursday requesting a change of venue, which would transfer the trial from Franklin County Common Pleas Court to another jurisdiction. According to court documents, the change is requested to provide a fair jury, with Meade’s lawyers arguing his name and case are too well-known in Franklin County for jurors to enter the trial without prior knowledge.
Meade’s lawyers pointed to multiple cases of publicity toward the case, including coverage from local news outlets, protests and banners hung downtown. According to court documents, his first trial — which was declared a mistrial — had jurors passing signs, banners hanging from overpasses and a red truck parked outside the courthouse daily that all called for justice for Casey Goodson.
Meade faces one count of murder and one of reckless homicide. The deadlocked jury in his first trial could not agree on whether or not Meade was justified when he shot and killed 23-year-old Goodson.