Wednesday, April 09, 2025

Attorney's claim: Randy Turner, media prejudiced Jasper County residents against Craig Smith

In a motion for a change of venue filed April 4 in Jasper County Circuit Court, the attorney for former Carl Junction R-1 choir teacher Craig Smith says his client can't receive a fair trial in Jasper County because pretrial publicity has prejudiced Jasper County residents against Smith.

Jonathan Pierce blames media coverage, particularly citing a number of Turner Report post links that appeared on the Inside Joplin Facebook page and the accompanying comments, as well as articles from Four States Home Page, KOAM and the Joplin Globe.

Smith is charged with stalking and possession of child pornography.







A hearing on the motion is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, before Judge David Mouton in Jasper County Circuit Court in Joplin.

From the motion:


That defendant has a right to a change of venue for cause if “the inhabitants of the county are prejudiced against the defendant”. Mo. Ct. Rule 32.04. 

The reason the inhabitants of Jasper County are prejudiced against the defendant is because of the following: 

a) The extensive news coverage of the charges against defendant; 

b) The fact that defendant was a band teacher with the Carl Junction School District; and 

 c) The Facebook comments on a Randy Turner blog post. The Facebook comments under the Randy Turner blog post are contained in Exhibit A, attached hereto. 

The following are articles written and published on the internet regarding this matter: 

-Inside Joplin, Randy Turner blog post, attached hereto as Exhibit B; 

 -KOAM News Now report dated January 16, 2025, attached hereto as Exhibit C







Fourstates Homepage report dated January 17, 2025, attached hereto as Exhibit D; 

-Randy Turner blog post dated February 14, 2025, attached hereto as Exhibit E; 

-Randy Turner blog post dated January 27, 2025; attached hereto as Exhibit F

-Randy Turner blog post dated February 13, 2025; attached hereto as Exhibit G; 

-The Joplin Globe article dated January 18, 2025; attached hereto as Exhibit H; 

-KGGF News Radio; attached hereto as Exhibit I; 

- MSN article; attached hereto as Exhibit J. 

That this application is timely filed. Wherefore, Defendant respectfully requests that this Court grant this Application for Change of Venue pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 32.04. 

Previous post

The Turner Report: Probable cause. Former CJ teacher stalked girl from sixth grade through high school

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:59 PM

    Maybe don’t commit a crime if you don’t want people talking about it? What a joke.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous7:16 PM

    You have to understand the way people like this think. It's only a crime if you're poor, or a reject. The reason most people don't give a shit about prison sentences and mandatory minimums and search warrants, is cause they are above the law, And can hire good attorneys, so normally cops just go for the low hanging fruit out there, which means they arrest more homeless drug addicts, which is all that gets reported, then people start to think that homeless drug addicts are the only ones that get caught and don't ever in a million years believe they will be charged or arrested. They aren't homeless, or on drugs...why would they.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:05 PM

    When media didn't cover most sex crimes it was easier for sex offenders to get away with their crimes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous8:37 PM

    The most Carl Junction thing ever blaming everyone and everything but yourself for your problem. Lack of accountability and responsibility runs rampant in Entitlebrook.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @8:37 PM........hit the nail on the head.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:01 AM

      What I find utterly amazing is that the voters of this community not only failed to demand the resignation of the school board in its entirety and the superintendent for allowing a stalking pedophile to be employed by the district for more than five years, but the voters actually chose to reelect two members of the school board Tuesday. And it wasn’t close either. Over 600 residents apparently none with daughters or children in the district voted for the same two school board members to serve another term. This is disturbing on a number of levels. And no one is asking any questions why.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous3:46 AM

    If you don’t want to do the time then don’t do crime yes people talk about this it was their children that was affected

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:17 AM

    That's ridiculous......how long did it take them to think up that excuse???

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous6:15 AM

    Mr Turner. Thank you for your hard work in keeping us informed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous6:51 AM

    Forget about Stalking, Forget about his Illicit Sexual Action - Craig Smith - wants to Blame this Blog and other News Service on the Story and Comments and Prejudicing the Community and Pool of Potential Jurors against him.

    Just an Excuse/Reason to help them change venue. Which is Fine it allows that Issue Not to be used if he is Convicted in a Jury Trial for his Appeal
    Case. Of course, he and his lawyers need to try and just plead guilty and cut a deal - a Jury will probably give him the maximum amount of time for his crimes.


    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous7:14 AM

    Mr. Smith should be happy he even has a venue. Were my child involved things would have turned out very different for him.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1:32 PM

    Where they want the trial moved to? The Briarbrook clubhouse?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:49 AM

      Yes, in Cult Junction.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous6:03 PM

    This all sounds like the current political climate not only carl junction, but in Washington as well. The irony of two sex offenders both acting like they're the victims.

    ReplyDelete