45-year-old Megan Valentine is asking the court to move her trial out of Edwards County. Valentine is charged with first-degree murder in the November 5, 2024, shooting death of her husband, Resident Judge Michael Valentine.
Her attorney, Jessica Koester, filed a motion last week arguing that extensive media coverage and strong community familiarity with the victim make it impossible to seat an impartial jury locally. Koester said news stories have followed every court appearance and filing—“some accurate, some not”—creating widespread pretrial publicity.
Koester also noted that many potential jurors either knew Michael Valentine or worked within the Edwards County Courthouse where he served. She argued that nearly everyone who would interact with jurors—from clerks to deputies—had personal ties to the judge, creating an environment where bias, even unintentionally, could influence proceedings.
The motion included copies and links to numerous news reports, along with information about a GoFundMe campaign that has reportedly raised over $10,000 for the victim’s parents.
Judge William Thurston is expected to consider the venue change request at a December 19th hearing in Edwards County Circuit Court.