CARROLLTON, Ga. (Court TV) — A judge has denied a change of venue request for a teenager accused of murdering her mother and stepfather, court officials told Court TV.
Sarah Grace Patrick enters court for a hearing on Aug. 19, 2025. (Court TV)
Sarah Grace Patrick is charged with murder and aggravated assault in the deaths of her mother, Kristen Brock, and stepfather, James Brock. Prosecutors say Patrick shot both victims and allowed her younger sister to find the bodies before calling 911.
Last week, Patrick’s attorney, LaToya Williams, filed a motion arguing “The pretrial publicity surrounding this case is pervasive, inflammatory, community-saturating, and overwhelmingly prejudicial, such that Ms. Patrick cannot obtain a fair and impartial jury in this county.” Williams described the attention her client has received as, “unprecented” and points to coverage by Court TV and PEOPLE as part of the reason why the trial should be moved.
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In their response, prosecutors point out that while Court TV has covered the case extensively, “A viewing of these recordings would show that the coverage and speculation repeatedly reference the fact that the Defendant is ‘innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” Prosecutors also noted that Court TV is not based in Carroll County and the network’s coverage would persist regardless of the trial’s location.
The motion also notes that several online communities on social media have been created to discuss Patrick’s case. The defense attached public comments written about Patrick and the case as an exhibit. But prosecutors highlighted that several comments were supportive of Patrick and that the group in question, comprising of 3,200 members, includes an international population, meaning much of the group wouldn’t be eligible to serve on a jury in the case.
On Dec. 1, court officials confirmed to Court TV that the judge denied the defense’s request.
Patrick is due in court for a hearing on Dec. 6. Her trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, 2026.
