A Tennessee man charged in the murder of a London Police Department officer is requesting a change of venue for his trial.
Casey Byrd, 37, of Oneida, is charged with murder and drunk driving in the Oct. 30 death of Officer Logan Medlock. Byrd also faces charges of criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records.
Byrd and his attorney have requested a change of venue because they believe he cannot have a fair and impartial trial due to Medlock’s status in the community, according to the petition filed on March 2.
The petition alleges “overwhelming publicity” of the case and the public’s outcry.
“(Byrd) states that he is informed and believes, and it is true, that the jury pool will be unduly prejudiced by the status of the alleged victim in the case as a police officer with the London Police Department, the public’s sentiment regarding the death of a police officer, and the public’s saturation with the overwhelming publicity which this case has received,” court documents state.
Byrd is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. April 27.
Byrd allegedly struck the driver’s side of Medlock’s police vehicle at an intersection near downtown London while Medlock was on patrol. Byrd’s blood alcohol level was more than four times the legal drinking limit, according to previous court testimony.
Tire marks indicated Byrd attempted to brake before the crash, including marks for 210 feet on the sidewalk beside the street. The collision pushed Medlock’s cruiser into a cemetery, police said.
Byrd’s truck was traveling 51 miles per hour before the crash according to data recorded in the electronic system of the vehicle, police testified.
Byrd told police he had been watching the football game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at a friend’s house before the crash. He previously taught pharmacy technician classes but has worked at a federal prison in McCreary County for about three years.