BELFAST — An upcoming trial of a man accused of killing three people last year is being moved from Washington County to Belfast after the defendant’s lawyers raised concerns the jury could be tainted by publicity.
Thomas Bonfanti, 64, was charged with murder in February 2020 in the shooting deaths of three people, The Bangor Daily News reported Monday.
Bonfanti’s lawyers requested that the trial be moved out to Waldo County because they were worried about jury selection, the newspaper said.
William Ashe, one of Bonfanti’s lawyers, said that trying the case in a different county would allow for the judge and lawyers to pick jurors who have no prior knowledge of the case.
Both jury selection and the trial are set to start in May 2022.
The Maine attorney general’s office did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
