By Denise Lana,
A Waukon man charged with murdering his wife earlier this year has requested a change of venue for the trial, which was originally scheduled for late January 2025.
Brandon Kasemeier, age 40, faces charges of first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife Jami Kasemeier, who was found deceased in his residence on Jan. 22. He has requested his trial be conducted outside of Allamakee and the surrounding area, claiming he would not receive a fair trial due to media coverage his attorneys argue will cause difficulty finding an impartial jury.
“Although there was media coverage of the crime, the publicity has not been pervasive nor inflammatory,” state prosecutors wrote in their resistance to Kasemeier’s request.
Kasemeier also alleged coverage of his flight to Colorado after his wife’s death, along with his extradition after the crime, may have established prejudice among the public. However, prosecutors noted information on that aspect of the case will be admissible at Kasemeier’s trial and will ultimately be known to jurors. The state said it also intends to call witnesses from Colorado to testify during the trial.
A court is expected to rule on Kasemeier’s request for a change of venue by Dec. 30.
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