Crime & PoliceNews

Decorah Man Accused of Killing His Father Seeks Change of Venue

A northeast Iowa man accused of killing his father is seeking a change of venue for his trial.

The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Aaron Whittle of Decorah on March 20th and charged him with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 74-year-old Lawrence Whittle. Court records indicate Whittle admitted he shot his father three days earlier in Aaron Whittle’s home. 

Whittle has pleaded not guilty and is currently scheduled for trial on February 20, 2023.

Thursday, Whittle’s attorney, Les Blair, filed a motion seeking a change of venue for the trial citing extensive pre-trial publicity by media outlets as well as social media. Blair also cited the publicity that preceded Whittle’s arrest when Larry Whittle was initially reported as missing.

The motion also argues that the cumulative effect of pretrial publicity has been to “arouse such a degree of prejudice within the public opinion in Winneshiek County that there is a substantial likelihood that a fair and impartial trial cannot be preserved with a jury selected from Winneshiek County.” 

Whittle remains in the Winneshiek County Jail in Decorah on a $1 million cash or surety bond.

Mark Pitz

News Director/Weekdays 10am to 2pm on 95.9 KCHA
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