Justin Thurber Motion Hearing Delayed

August 21, 2008

by Cliff Judy (WICHITA, Kan.)

A judge delays the decision on whether prosecutors can change the charges against Justin Thurber and whether jurors will visit the crime scene where 19-year-old Jodi Sanderholm was killed.

Thurber is charged with capital murder in the Arkansas City teen's death. Officers found Sanderholm's body near the Kansas/Oklahoma border days after she disappeared in January 2007.

Attorneys were scheduled to argue five prosecution motions Thursday afternoon, but the judge continued the hearing until September 26th when defense attorneys asked for more time to prepare.

Among the motions, prosecutors were trying to admit crime scene photos into evidence and allow jurors to visit Cowley College and the Kaw Wildlife Area, the site where Sanderholm's body was found.

Prosecutors are also trying to amend the charges against Thurber by dropping charges of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy from the official complaint. They call it a small change saying they'd still use the evidence of sexual assault to try to convict Thurber of the capital murder charge.

Thurber's trial is set for October.

You can read about what happened in court using the live blog below.

|

|

|