Judge rejects venue change request

COEUR d’ALENE — A federal judge denied a request to move a murder-for-hire trial from Idaho.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill said there is no way to know to what degree prospective jurors have been influenced by media coverage pertaining to the case against Edgar Steele.

Steele, 65, is charged with hiring a hitman-turned-FBI informant to kill his wife, Cyndi Steele.

Steele’s lawyers this week requested the trial be shifted to Wyoming to better select potential jurors unfamiliar with the case.

The judge’s ruling on Friday said there isn’t sufficient evidence that potential jurors will be biased, and called the allegations against jail staff for releasing tape recordings and other evidence to the media speculative.

“There is also no indication that listening to the recordings or reading these articles have prejudiced prospective jurors,” the motion states. “Defendant does not reference any specific articles which are particularly negative or inflammatory.”

The defendant may raise the issue of pretrial prejudice during or after voir dire jury selection.

If the court determines that an impartial jury cannot be selected in North Idaho, the trial will be moved to Pocatello or Boise, the judge ruled.