A week after saying he would, the attorney for the former University of Cincinnati police officer accused of murdering driver Sam DuBose has filed a change of venue motion.
Attorney Stew Mathews says there are several reasons he doesn’t believe former UC police officer Ray Tensing can get a fair trial in Hamilton County.
One: his indictment was carried on live television, in which Two: the county prosecutor made inflammatory and prejudicial statements. Three: the media and Cincinnati leaders like the mayor, city manager, and police chief have all basically said he’s guilty and suggested there would be rioting if he isn’t convicted. That leads to Four: a quote “cloud of doom” hovering over the heads of all potential jurors.
Mathews last week told WVXU he’d be making the request but he wasn’t holding out much hope it would be granted. Tensing is accused of murder in the shooting death of Sam DuBose during an off-campus traffic stop in July. He’s scheduled to go to trial Nov. 16.
