Judge to determine if James Staley case will move out of Wichita County

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - James Staley is back in court Tuesday for a hearing to decide if his trial will stay here in Wichita County or move to Dallas.

Staley’s attorneys said the local jury pool has been tainted against him due to media coverage and Facebook outcry, and the safety of Staley and anyone connected to the case was also a concern.

The judge so far has heard from WFPD Chief of Police Manuel Borrego, Bubba McDaniel, Wilder McDaniel’s father, and Robert Gill, a criminal defense attorney in Fort Worth.

The judge will decide if the change of venue is warranted. There is no timetable on when that decision will be made.

Staley is accused of murdering 2-year-old Wilder McDaniel in his home in October of 2018. He has pleaded not guilty.