Murder trial moves from Bexar to Victoria
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A high-profile San Antonio murder trial is headed for the Victoria County Courthouse in January.
Joe Estrada, 19, is charged with killing San Antonio restaurant owner Viola Barrios with a bow and arrow while burglarizing her home last year, according to the indictment.
District Judge Maria Teresa Herr granted the defense motion for a change of venue last week.
The trial won't strain Victoria's manpower. Herr and attorneys will come from San Antonio for the trial.
Courtroom space could be a problem, though.
"There's always a major problem with courtrooms, not having enough space," District Clerk Cathy Stuart said.
The prosecution can seek the death penalty, which would require a longer jury selection. Prosecutor Jim Kopp could not be reached Thursday to confirm if he would ask for death.
Selecting a jury for Edna resident LeJames Norman's capital murder trial last year tied up a courtroom for months. Norman's trial, like Estrada's, was moved to Victoria to find a more impartial jury pool.
Judges typically ask for larger jury pools in capital murder trials, Stuart said. She doesn't yet know how many jurors Herr will ask her to summon.
The selection is scheduled to begin Jan. 8. Victoria County jury selection isn't scheduled for that day, Stuart said, so it should not affect the ability to find jurors for local trials.
