The first degree murder trial of Dalton Adam will likely take place outside Winneshiek County

It now seems likely the trial of 18-year-old Dalton Adam of Waukon will not be held in Winneshiek County.  Adam is accused of first degree murder in last July's death of David Hansen of Freeport.

Adam's trial had originally been set for October 28th in Decorah.  However, the defense attorney in the case has filed a motion to move the trial out of the county, saying there has been too much pretrial publicity about the case.

Winneshiek County Attorney Andy Van der Maaten filed a response to the defense motion on Friday.  In it he stated that the prosecution would have no objection to moving the trial out of the county.  However, Van der Maaten also states, "The State believes that any publicity concerning this case has been primarily limited to Winneshiek County and so requests that any change of venue be to an adjacent County, such as Allamakee, Chickasaw or Fayette County."  Van der Maaten says a change of venue to an adjacent county would save "unnecessary expense" for the victim's family, defendant's family, witnesses and law enforcement officers because they would have reasonable access to the new location.

A ruling has not been made on the defense's motion for a change of venue.