A Vermont judge has ruled that extensive publicity surrounding the killing of University of Vermont student Michele Gardner-Quinn and the arrest of Richmond resident Brian Rooney mean Rooney’s trial must be moved to Rutland.
Yesterday’s ruling on a change of venue from Judge Michael Kupersmith came less than two weeks after Rooney’s lawyer, David Sleigh, cited an FBI agent’s newspaper column labeling the suspect "evil” as an example of prejudicial pretrial publicity.
Kupersmith agreed with Sleigh that intensive pre-trial publicity in the Burlington area means it will be difficult to seat an impartial jury in Chittenden County.
Rooney faces charges of aggravated murder and kidnapping in the rape and killing of the 21-year-old Gardner-Quinn in October of 2006.