The former Columbus police officer who shot and killed Andre' Hill wants the trial moved, saying publicity has made it impossible for a fair proceeding in Franklin County.
Adam Coy fatally shot Hill on Dec. 22, 2020, as Hill emerged from a garage on Oberlin Drive. Coy and another officer were responding to a non-emergency call on the report of a suspicious vehicle on Oberlin Drive.
Coy was fired on Dec. 28 and later charged with murder, reckless homicide and felonious assault. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Coy’s attorney, Mark Collins, filed a motion in Franklin County requesting a change of venue to ensure Coy receives a "fair trial before a jury untainted with pre-trial publicity."
Collins cites the extensive coverage of the shooting including local and national news, posts on social media and billboards in Columbus calling for justice for Hill.
“Compiling an impartial jury in Franklin County would be impossible because potential jurors are not only exposed to the extensive news coverage but also to their fellow neighbors’ opinions,” Collins said in the filing.
Though neither officer turned on their body-worn cameras, a 60-second rollback with no audio captured Coy approaching the open garage with Hill inside. Authorities later said Hill was at the home visiting a friend.
Hill emerged from around a vehicle with a cell phone in his left hand. His right hand was not visible. Seconds later, Coy removed his gun and fired it at Hill.
Hill was taken to a local hospital where he later died.
Coy was initially charged with dereliction of duty for not activating his body camera, but those charges were dropped.
In May, Columbus reached a $10 million settlement with the family of Hill, the largest in the city’s history.