The trial of former Auburn safety Mike McNeil will proceed normally on Monday, April 8 at the Lee County Justice Center.
"I will advise everybody to move forward as if we are going to trial on Monday," Circuit Judge Chris Hughes said.
Hughes did not grant either motion discussed at the hearing on Thursday, April 4, regarding the removal of McNeil's attorney Ben Hand nor the motion for a change or venue.
"I understand the tension here," Hughes said about McNeil and Hand, but did not grant the withdrawal.
Hughes offered McNeil four alternative options including representing himself and hiring an accompanying lawyer.
Hand said that the trial should be moved, because Auburn University is the main employer and the negative attention from the media will "definitely negatively impact Mr. McNeil."
Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Kisha Abercrombie refuted claiming the prosecution would be able to find an impartial jury and that Auburn was "not a party in this case."
Hand submitted a 12-page article released Friday morning, April 5, by ESPN; a source of which was Antonio Goodwin.
Goodwin was convicted of first-degree robbery on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, and is currently serving 15 years.
Hand claims that in the article Goodwin places the blame on Shaun Kitchens, another player involved in the alleged robberies. Hand said the court should be allowed to review the recording of the conversation had with ESPN.
Abercrombie argued it as a "fishing-expedition." She responded that the defense had two years to speak with Goodwin.
Both Goodwin and Kitchens are subpoenaed for the trial on Monday, April 8.
Hughes also dismissed the issues with Bad Boyz Bondz and continued to allow McNeil to be released out on bond.
Hughes did proceed with consolidating the trial and not trying McNeil for each instance of alleged robberies.
McNeil stands trial after an arrest last March for alleged armed robbery of a home on Wire Road. Also slated for trial are Kitchens and Dakota Mosley, both arrested with McNeil and Goodwin in March 2011.
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