Judge Denies Motion to Reconsider Venue in MPD Officer Trial

Aaron Cody Smith

A Montgomery County Circuit Judge has denied the state’s motion to reconsider the venue in the case of Montgomery Police Officer Aaron Cody Smith.

Judge P.B. McLaughlin handed down the ruling Tuesday.

In September, the state of Alabama asked the court to reconsider the change of venue.

The trial was moved from Montgomery County to Dale County, but a motion was filed requesting the trial be moved out of Dale County because residents of Dale County are serviced by the same news outlets that serve Montgomery County, which the state believes could potentially taint the jury pool.

Smith is charged for the 2016 on-duty shooting death of Greg Gunn, a 58-year-old black man from west Montgomery.

The trial is set for November.