Ballard Trial Staying In Baldwin County

By Debbie Williams Reporter

A judge denied the change of venue request from a man accused of killing two cyclists while drunk driving. Ballard Trial Staying In Baldwin County

Published: Wed, September 24, 2008 - 3:58 pm Last Updated: Wed, September 24, 2008 - 4:05 pm

Debbie Williams

Sporting a new look, Patrick Ballard was back in court trying to get his case moved because of pre-trial publicity.

Arguing an impartial jury could not be found in Baldwin County, defense attorney Jim Byrd cited newspaper articles and television news stories that not only talk about the crash that killed Bill Imle and Archie Clemons but a crash involving Ballard in 2005 that killed Larry McDuff.

District Attorney Judy Newcomb argued the move was pre-mature and Judge Charles Partin agreed, denying a change of venue. "We've had some pretty high profile cases and when the jury panel has been summoned we've always been able to seat 12 to 14 jurors that said they could consider the evidence and not anything they had heard outside the courtroom."

The victim’s families have been at every hearing. But someone else has taken an interest in the case, the State Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

"We consider this a very, very violent crime." Peggy Batey traveled from Montgomery to be here. "This is the first time in 14 years with MADD where I have had a case where you have an offender regardless of what age to take the lives of three individuals as a result of drunk driving." Supporting victims is part of her job, but it’s also her passion. "It's a choice. MADD is not against drinking unless you are under the age of 21, it's against drinking and driving and I don't know anybody that is for drinking and driving."

The case could go to trial later this year.