Mason City murder suspect requests change of venue
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(ABC 6 News) – A man accused of first-degree murder in Cerro Gordo County has requested a change of venue for his trial.
Jelani Faulk is accused of shooting Christopher Tucker outside a Mason City bar located along South Federal Avenue in 2021.
Police say Faulk and another man were seen running from the area. An officer was on foot nearby and heard the shots fired. The officer identified two male subjects running toward him as he approached the area.
The officer ordered the subjects, later identified as Jelani Faulk, 25 of Chicago, Illinois, and Kristopher Keys, 24 of Dubuque, Iowa, to the ground. Keys complied with the officer’s orders. Faulk pointed a handgun towards the officer. The officer shot at Faulk, striking him.
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Faulk’s attorneys have filed for a venue change, citing extensive media coverage as creating a substantial likelihood that a fair and impartial jury cannot be reached.
Faulk has pled not guilty. and his trial is scheduled to start in March.