Few judges approve defense lawyer requests for change of venue. That’s where a trial location is changed in order to prevent possible local prejudice against a defendant. Most judges do not like to offer this request.
Yet, it’s important for cases in the public eye that a defendant be tried where jurors have not been bombarded with information about the case. And where defendants may be fairly judged on the merits of the case’s arguments.
Particularly, where information comes from populist and perhaps ignorant-of-the-facts media, that may already have prejudged that case.
Basic distrust exists against defendants who happen to be in finance or business. Most jurors, and I may add, judges, harbor innate prejudice against such individuals.
Many jurors simply don’t understand finance or business. They have been influenced by years of populist thought. A change of venue does not help change the harm done by such ignorance, but the change of venue principle is, at least, a step in correcting the system.
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