TROY, Ohio (Court TV) — A former contestant on the reality TV show “American Idol” must first attempt to seat a jury in Miami County before a judge will consider moving his murder trial, scheduled to begin next month.
Caleb Flynn appears in court for a hearing on April 6, 2026. (Court TV)
Caleb Flynn, 40, is charged with aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and intimidation of a witness, attorney or victim in a criminal case in the death of his wife.
Flynn’s attorneys had asked Judge Jeannine Pratt to move the trial, saying that residents of Miami County had been “consumed by news reports, internet articles, social media commentary and broadcast segments from courtroom proceedings” in the six months since his arrest.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Pratt denied the defense motion, finding it “not well-taken at this time. A defendant seeking a change of venue based upon prejudicial pretrial publicity must first establish that the publicity was of such a degree and character as to create a presumption of prejudice against the defendant.”
Just being exposed to the facts of the case isn’t enough to preclude seating an impartial jury, Pratt said. “Rather, a defendant must make a clear and manifest showing that the publicity was so pervasive and prejudicial that any attempt to seat an impartial jury would be futile.”
Pratt denied the motion without prejudice, meaning that if Flynn’s attorneys have trouble finding impartial jurors, they can ask to revisit the issue.
Pratt similarly denied a motion from prosecutors that sought to sequester the jury. “At this time, the State has not demonstrated the existence of outside influence, prejudicial publicity, or other circumstances establishing that sequestration prior to deliberations is necessary,” she wrote in her order. “The Court finds that appropriate and repeated admonitions to the jurors not to discuss the case with anyone, consume media coverage concerning the case, conduct independent research, or otherwise obtain information about the matter outside the courtroom are sufficient to protect the integrity of these proceedings.”
As with the motion to change venue, Pratt denied the motion without prejudice, inviting the issue to be raised again “should circumstances arise during trial demonstrating that sequestration is necessary to ensure a fair and impartial proceeding.”
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces; prosecutors say that he shot and killed his wife, Ashley Flynn, in their home in February 2026 before trying to stage the scene to make it appear as if she had been killed during a burglary.
Jury selection is scheduled to start on Sept. 17.
