JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A judge on Friday granted a change of venue request for Othal Wallace, who will stand trial in the 2021 shooting death of a Daytona Beach police officer. The trial will now be held in Clay County.
Wallace, 31, is accused of shooting Daytona Beach police Officer Jason Raynor. Wallace, who was found in Georgia, was arrested on murder charges 56 hours after the shooting.
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Raynor, 26, died on Aug. 17, 2021.
The judge said the defense change of venue was allowed because it would be difficult to seat an impartial jury in Volusia County because of pre-trial publicity.
The defense also suggested the trial be held in Alachua, Broward or Leon counties before landing on Clay County. The state argued that the defense wants to cherry-pick a Democrat-leaning county. The state wanted the trial to be held in the 7th Circuit and suggested St. Johns County as an alternative.
Raynor, who had been with the police department for about three years, was laid to rest Aug. 23, just days after the state announced it would seek the death penalty in the case against Wallace.
The trial is set to begin on Sept. 5.
