Apalachee shooting suspect’s dad wins change of venue for trial
WINDER, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The father of the suspected Apalachee High School shooter will not have to face a Barrow County jury.
On Thursday, both prosecutors and Colin Gray’s defense attorneys agreed the trial’s venue should be changed, meaning the father of Colt Gray will not face a local jury.
However, the two sides disagreed on where the trial should take place.
Gray’s attorney, Brian Hobbs, argued for a county that isn’t close to Barrow, where he argues people have seen less media coverage.
“We have asked the court to look at a number of counties that are far enough away that the media is not going to be an impact,” he said. “[Counties] where people have not already made up their mind, where people haven’t gone to rallies.”
But prosecutors argued everyone in Georgia has seen coverage of the case, and a venue closer to Barrow County would cut down on transportation and other associated court costs.
“Wherever you go, these reports are there,” District Attorney Brad Smith said. “The same news is being shown on the same television channels anywhere you go in Georgia. So if publicity is the thing you’re trying to get away from, you’re not going to solve that going to any other county in Georgia.”
Judge Nicholas Primm, chief judge of the Jackson County Superior Court, said he would jurisdictions and make an order within 30 days. The trial is expected to start in September and last about three weeks.
The judge will also have to decide whether the trial will take place in a Barrow County courtroom with imported jurors or if it will happen inside another county’s courtroom.
Last month, Colin’s legal counsel filed a motion for a change of venue, claiming the case’s high-profile nature and widespread media coverage have biased local jurors against him.
“The alleged victims were well-known citizens [of] this county with high public visibility and their alleged murder evokes great ion and prejudice in this community,” the motion said.
Holding the trial in Barrow County, the motion argued, would violate Colin’s right to a fair trial by an impartial jury.
Colin faces two counts of second-degree murder, 19 counts of second-degree cruelty to children, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and four counts of reckless conduct. He has pleaded not guilty.
Law enforcement said Colin gave his son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, access to the AR-style rifle used in the deadly shooting.
Colin was granted a $500,000 bond in February, with the condition that he not witnesses.
Meanwhile, Colt faces more than 50 charges, including felony and malice murder. He has also pleaded not guilty and is requesting a change of venue.
On Sept. 4, 2024, a shooter opened fire inside Apalachee High School, killing four people and hospitalizing nine others.
The dead were identified as teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie and 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo.
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