Lee County Circuit Court Judge Jacob A. Walker III has found a different location for the Harvey Updyke case, granting the defense's request for a change of venue.
Updyke is accused of poisoning the oaks at Toomer's Corner in downtown Auburn.
The case has been moved to Elmore County, abiding with state law that it be moved to the closest county free from prejudice, and will start April 8, as previously decided in January.
A hearing previously scheduled for March 15 has been canceled.
The change in venue comes after Robert T. Treese III, Lee County district attorney, recently dropped his opposition to a change of venue. The change in venue was requested at Updyke's Feb. 13 hearing by the defense, who said it would be impossible to have an unbiased jury in Auburn.
Currently, Updyke is being held at the Lee County Detention Center after Walker revoked Updyke's $50,000 bond at his Feb. 13 hearing for allegedly violating the terms of his bond when he was arrested in Hammond, La. Sept. 24, 2012.
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