The trial for Eric Williams, the man accused of being behind the fatal shooting of Kaufman District Attorney Mike McClelland, his wife Cynthia, and Kaufman Assistant DA Mark Hasse is being moved from Kaufman County.
A judge ruled Friday that the trial will be moved to Rockwall County with a tentative start date of October 20. Jury selection for the case would begin on March 28, however the court stated the "voir dire" process of jury selection would be on May 5. By August 15, 2014, court officials stated they should have a final jury panel selected.
Williams had requested a change of venue in late October for the capital murder trials for the McClellands. Williams had not, at that time, requested to change venue for the trial related to the murder of Mark Hasse.
Prior to the decision, there was debate among prosecutors and the defense about whether Williams, who was previously a Justice of the Peace in Kaufman County, would be able to receive a fair trial.
Williams’ wife, Kim, has also been charged with capital murder in all 3 incidents but no change of venue has been requested in her defense.
It has been nearly a year since the high-profile murder of Assistant DA Mark Hasse just outside the Kaufman County Courthouse in Kaufman.
