TROY — There are new developments in the case of a Tipp City father accused of killing his wife in their home last February.
No plea agreements were made during a court appearance in Miami County today for Caleb Flynn. Now, the case is set to go to trial next month.
News Center 7’s John Bedell has been following the case for months and was in the courtroom today.
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It was learned that the court is setting aside two days to try and seat a jury. That will be done inside the historic Miami County Courthouse, where there is more space.
There are courtrooms that can hold 150 people, including the one where Flynn appeared today, and it holds 46 people.
The case will now move on to jury selection, and what happens there will determine whether the defense asks the judge to move the case out of Miami County.
Today there were no plea agreements made by either the prosecution or the defense in this murder case.
Judge Jeannine Pratt said, “Both counsels have expressed to the court that this matter has not been resolved. It intends to go to a jury trial date.”
He’s set to go to trial in mid-September. Flynn’s defense team has asked the court to consider moving the trial from Troy to another county, which is not uncommon in high-profile cases.
Flynn’s defense attorney, Patrick Mulligan, said, “Obviously, there’s been intense media coverage on that would justify a change of venue.”
However, the defense said they want to try to seat a jury in Miami County before they push that change of venue motion if they’re unable to do that.
“And, so we would ask the court to delay ruling on it until we actually begin that jury selection process,” Mulligan said.
Prosecutors want the jury sequestered, which means the jurors would stay in a hotel during the trial and would be supervised by court staff instead of going home each night.
Jurors would not be able to watch television, read newspapers or go on the internet or social media, and might even have limited or no contact with family and friends during the trial.
Prosecutors have argued that would be to protect the integrity of the jury’s deliberations and to make sure the verdict is only based on the evidence presented in court.
Flynn is accused of killing his wife, Ashley, inside their Tipp City home.
In police body cam video, Caleb told officers that someone broke into the home and shot and killed his wife.
Three days later, Flynn was arrested and put in handcuffs, accused of murder.
Right now, the two days the court has set aside for jury selection are scheduled to start on September 17.
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