Schmidt venue change granted

APPLETON - A jury from outside Outagamie County will hear the case against Scott Schmidt, who is accused of killing his wife and shooting his mother-in-law.

Judge John Des Jardins made the ruling Friday at a motions hearing. Schmidt's attorney Greg Petit claimed the media coverage of the case would cause a jury to be swayed against his client.

"I think there has been a lot of prejudicial info that would not be relevant at trial that had been set forth here and has been reported on," said Petit at the hearing.

Which county the jury will come from has not been determined. The jury could be brought into Appleton from another county or the trial could be moved to another county's courthouse.

"It's just a matter of whether we, I'll say, become a road show and we go somewhere or whether we pick a jury and come back," said Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider.

Schmidt is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for allegedly killing Kelly Wing-Schmidt at her Grand Chute home, and shooting his mother-in-law.

The trial is scheduled to start March 4.

A defense request to have Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider removed from the case was denied by the judge.