MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (Scripps News Lexington) — A Madison County judge has granted a request to move the jury selection and trial for Shannon Gilday to Shelby County, citing concerns about finding an impartial jury in the original venue.
According to court documents, Judge Cole Adams Maier ruled Wednesday that Gilday’s trial for murder and related charges will be held in Shelby County, while pretrial proceedings will continue in Madison County.
FILE – Shannon Gilday appears in court. (Scripps News Lexington)
Gilday faces multiple charges, including one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder in a Feb. 2022 home invasion in which Jordan Morgan, daughter of former state representative C. Wesley Morgan, was killed.
According to the documents, the defense filed a petition for change of venue on November 26, 2025, arguing that extensive media coverage and community familiarity with the case would prevent a fair trial in Madison County.
“The Court finds a reasonable likelihood that seating an impartial jury in Madison County would be impaired by pervasive community familiarity with the events and individuals involved,” Maier wrote in her order.
The judge noted that the Morgan family, who are victims and key witnesses in the case, are well-known in Madison County and have longstanding community ties. Court documents show the events have received sustained public attention and widespread media coverage in local and regional outlets.
The documents state that a survey submitted by the defense showed high levels of public familiarity with the case and measurable opinions on guilt and punishment among prospective jurors in Madison County. The Commonwealth did not file rebuttal surveys or evidence contesting these findings.
According to the documents, after consulting with victims, prosecutors did not object to transferring the case to Shelby County.
The court determined that Madison County and adjacent counties are part of the Lexington media market, while Shelby County is part of the Louisville media market, potentially reducing pretrial influence.
Under the order, the Madison County Circuit Clerk will retain the case record until directed to transmit it to Shelby County for jury trial proceedings. All pretrial matters will continue in Madison Circuit Court.
According to the documents, the Commonwealth had requested that survey participants be excluded from the Shelby County jury pool, but the judge denied this request as procedurally unavailable. Any impartiality challenges can be raised during jury selection.
If Gilday is convicted, he could face the death penalty. He’ll be back in court on March 20 for another hearing as he gets closer to a May trial date.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Lexington, an E.W. Scripps Company.
