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Tracie Hunter's lawyer asks for a change of venue

The lawyer for indicted juvenile court judge Tracie Hunter has asked the judge in her case for a change of venue, saying he doesn't think Hunter can get a fair trial in Hamilton County.

Hunter's lawyer, Clyde Bennett II, told WVXU that he filed a change-of-venue affidavit with Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge Norbert Nadel. In it, Bennett says there has been so much adverse publicity in the Hunter case that he doesn't think it is probable to find jurors who haven't made up their minds.

A hearing for a trial setting is set for Tuesday in Nadel's courtroom. Nadel could rule on the change of venue issue at that hearing.

Hunter was indicted on two counts each of tampering with evidence, forgery, having an unlawful interest in a public contract, and theft in office. She is also indicted on one count of misuse of credit cards. Hunter has entered not guilty pleas to all of the charges.

Hunter took office in May 2012, 18 months after the November 2010 general election. After the election, Hunter went to federal court after losing to Republican John Williams by 23 votes.

A U.S. District Court judge ordered disputed provisional ballots to be counted and Hunter ended up winning the election. In the interim, Williams was appointed to a vacant juvenile court judgeship.

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.