Spencer, Iowa — A motion for a change of venue has been denied in the case of a former Spencer pastor charged with Sexual Exploitation By A Counselor.
Online court records indicate that Kevin Grimes filed the motion for a change of venue Tuesday, January 24th.
A hearing on the matter took place last week. Judge Nancy Whittenburg ruled that Grimes had not proven that there is such a degree of prejudice in Clay County, where the trial is to be held, “resulting from extensive pretrial publicity at or near the time of trial such that there is a substantial likelihood a fair and impartial trial cannot be preserved with a jury selected from Clay County.”
Grimes’ counsel submitted 15 exhibits of news coverage that were intended to show extensive publicity. Judge Whittenburg noted that most exhibits were brief and that none contained inflammatory material. She says Grimes also offered no surveys or opinion polls showing that citizens have formed opinions about the case based on any of the news exhibits.
Judge Whittenburg also wrote, “…the law does not require that prospective jurors have no knowledge of the case. It only requires that any knowledge they do possess will be placed aside, if selected to serve as juror, and their decision be rendered solely on the evidence presented at trial and the legal instructions of the court.”
Clay County authorities accuse Grimes of allegedly having text conversations of a sexual nature and also sharing nude photographs of himself with people he was counseling. Investigators allege that Mr. Grimes also had a sexual relationship with people he counseled.
