Steele's lawyers ask for trial to be moved

COEUR d’ALENE — Attorneys representing a man accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot want the trial moved to Wyoming.

A change of venue request filed by Robert McAllister and Gary Amendola on Tuesday said that “negative pre-trial publicity” makes it too difficult to obtain an impartial jury in North Idaho.

Edgar Steele, 65, of Sagle, is accused of hiring a hitman to kill his wife, Cyndi Steele.

Trial is set to begin March 7, but the request filed by Steele’s lawyers said that ongoing local news coverage — including the release of recorded phone conversations that are the reason Steele is facing a witness tampering charge — was assisted by the U.S. government or Spokane County Jail officials.

Those released tapes and subsequent news stories make it very difficult for Steele to receive an unbiased jury, the motion states.

“Edgar Steele cannot receive a fair trial in this District because the jury pool has been exposed to this publicity,” the request said. “There was no need for anyone to release evidence in a criminal case to the media other than to gain an unfair advantage.”

The motion asks the trial be switched to Cheyenne, Wyo., where there is not a backlog of cases, and where potential jurors have not been exposed to the coverage.

Amendola said he expects the judge to rule on the motion by Friday.

Steele is facing four felony counts, including one for use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.

Federal prosecutors have said they plan to produce evidence of Steele’s motive.

Prosecutors, in court documents, said Steele wanted to be with another women and that he took steps to be with her.

Chief U.S. Magistrate Candy W. Dale denied a $1 million bail for Steele on Feb. 16.

Should the request be denied, the defendant requests for “careful and deliberate voir dire examination” be individually conducted with potential jurors on the issue of pre-trial publicity, rather than in group format.