WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Marion County woman charged for her involvement in the Capitol Hill riot is asking a federal judge to move her trial out of the District of Columbia.
Connie Meggs, who was arrested alongside her husband, Kelly Meggs, one month after the Jan. 6 attack made the request after polling potential jurors from different areas and determining those in Washington, D.C. were more likely to have a pre-conceived opinion about the incident.
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Over the weekend, her attorney, Juli Haller, formally asked a federal judge to move her trial to the eastern district of Virginia.
Haller claimed a poll she conducted found it was difficult to find potential jurors who did not already have an opinion about the suspects charged in the case.
Haller said she polled potential jurors in Washington, D.C.; Ocala, Florida; eastern North Carolina and eastern Virginia.
She claimed 91% of Washington, D.C. residents admitted making “prejudicial pre-judgement on issues related to the case,” compared 49% of Ocala residents, 61% of North Carolina residents and 63% of Virginia residents who were surveyed.
When asked about how concerned they were about their safety, she said 66% of polled residents in the nation’s capitol said they were concerned, while 27% of surveyed residents in Ocala felt the same way. She said 32% of residents in North Carolina and 37% of residents in Virginia shared the same views.
Haller also said local news coverage in the Washington, D.C. area has had a large impact on how potential jurors view what happened.
A judge has not make a decision on the request.
Kelly Meggs now faces charges that he conspired with other members of the Oath Keepers group to commit sedition that day.
Connie Meggs is being tried separately from her husband and does not face conspiracy charges.
She is one of 26 Central Florida residents who were arrested and charged for involvement in the Capitol Hill riot.