Texas Dragging Death Trial
				Background Feb. 16. Update (Opening Statements) Feb. 17 Update Feb. 18 Update (Morning) Feb. 18 Update (Afternoon) Feb. 19 Update The Message Board Feb. 22 Update (Morning) Feb. 22 Update (Afternoon) Feb. 23 Update (Closing Arguments) Feb. 23 Update (The Verdict) Feb. 24 Update (The Penalty Phase) Penalty Phase Analysis Feb. 25 Update (The Sentencing) March 11 Update March 29 Update April 19 Update April 20 Update April 22 Update April 28 Update

JASPER, Texas (Court TV) —Although he denied a defense motion for a change of venue last week, a Texas judge approved a prosecution request to move the second trial in the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. out of Jasper.

District Judge Monte Lawlis confirmed Wednesday that the trial of Lawrence Brewer would be moved but refused to reveal its new location until logistics such as security measures are resolved.

Jasper County District Attorney Guy James Gray, who successfully prosecuted the first dragging death defendant, John King, requested the change of venue earlier this week because he did not want defense attorneys to make trial location an issue on appeal if Brewer is convicted.

Brewer was scheduled to go on trial May 17, but Judge Lawlis said the trial will now take place in July.

Brewer will be tried for his alleged participation in the death of Byrd, a 49-year-old black man. Brewer is accused of helping his former roommates Shawn Berry and John King beat Byrd, strip him, chain him to a pickup truck and drag him two-and-half miles until his head was severed.

Brewer's lawyers had argued that their client could not receive a fair trial in Jasper because of pre-trial publicity and the conviction of King in February.

The defense claimed Jasper residents would not be able to consider his degree of innocence and will only be focused on redeeming the town's image.

Berry, the only defendant who gave police a statement, said that King wanted to "teach Byrd a lesson" and initiated the fatal attack.

During King's trial, prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that King killed Byrd as part of an initiation rite for a new white supremacist group he was trying to organize.

It was also suggested that he was trying to recruit Berry for the group and tried to persuade him to participate in Byrd's murder to get initiated into the organization.

Court TV's Bryan Robinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright© 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Copyright© 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.