Adrian
A Barrow County, Georgia, judge ruled Thursday that COLIN GRAY, charged with 29 crimes related to his son COLT GRAY‘s alleged mass shooting at Apalachee High School last year, will face a jury from a different county. The decision came during an afternoon hearing where both the defense and prosecution agreed on the need for a venue change, albeit for different reasons, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
JIMMY BERRY, COLIN GRAY‘s attorney, argued that relocating the trial was essential to ensure an impartial jury. “What we need to do is to find a place where we can get an impartial and fair jury,” Berry said. “I don’t think anywhere in this epicenter are we going to be able to find that.”
District Attorney BRAD SMITH supported the move, emphasizing the need to protect the Barrow County community. “The reason the state is agreeing to change of venue from Barrow County is because all of Barrow County was a victim in this case,” Smith stated.
Chief Barrow County Superior Court Judge NICHOLAS PRIMM ultimately ruled in favor of the venue change. He noted that the trial could either be held outside the county entirely or within the county using jurors from elsewhere. “I’ll have to figure out if we’re going to export the trial or import jurors,” Primm said.
COLIN GRAY faces charges including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless conduct. His son, COLT GRAY, then 14, allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2023, killing four and injuring nine. Among the victims were two teachers and two students. The younger Gray was charged with 55 criminal offenses, including four counts of felony murder.
Law enforcement had flagged COLT GRAY as a person of interest prior to the shooting. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office had visited the Gray household multiple times following a May 2023 report of an online threat to shoot up a middle school. The FBI also received anonymous tips regarding the threat. Both COLIN and COLT GRAY were indicted on October 17, 2023, and have pleaded not guilty.
Fox News Digital reached out to JIMMY BERRY and BRAD SMITH for further comment. Fox News’ STEPHENY PRICE contributed to this report.
[Source: FOX 5 Atlanta](https://www.fox5atlanta.com)
[Source: Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
