FORT MYERS, Fla. — A trial call for Wisner Desmaret is scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 1 in Lee County.
A judge struck down a motion filed by Desmaret for a change of venue, saying the filing was "noncompliant" with Florida criminal law.
Attorneys for the defendant had cited "extremely negative" media attention surrounding the case, arguing Desmaret "cannot receive a fair trial by an impartial jury in Lee or Collier County."
In Friday's court filing, the judge wrote, "even if the Amended Motion for Change of Venue were to be continued on its merits, it would similarly be denied, without prejudice, as premature."
Prosecutors allege that Desmaret stole officer Adam Jobbers-Miller's gun the night of July 21, 2018 and shot the officer in the head, killing him.
One final motions hearing is scheduled for Tuesday before the trial gets underway.
