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A motion for a change of venue has been taken under advisement in the case of a North Webster mother charged with reckless homicide.
Kristina Crooks, 19, of 7280 E. Blacks Trailer Court, North Webster, appeared Thursday in Kosciusko Circuit Court for a change of venue hearing. Crooks faces felony charges of reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent.
Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed heard arguments for the venue change, but delayed a decision so he can review the newspaper articles and court cases cited by both parties.
Reed told defense attorney Jay Rigdon he would read the articles submitted with the motion while considering his decision. Reed said he hesitated to read the articles prior to hearing the arguments to prevent prejudicing his decision.
Rigdon stressed that prejudicial and speculative news reporting about the alleged offense, and a bumper sticker campaign against his client, have endangered Crooks' right to a fair trial.
The news coverage, Vickie Dittman's "Justice For Lois" bumper sticker campaign, and comments - unrelated to the charges in this case - made by Kosciusko County Prosecutor David Kolbe combined to "poison the well" of possible jurors, Rigdon said.
The prosecutor in the Crooks case, Byron Tinkey, Kosciusko County deputy prosecutor, responded to the defense motion by noting that Crooks' rights would be violated if she were not given a trial in the county where the alleged offense occurred.
Tinkey noted that of the six articles filed by the defense, Crooks is only mentioned four times. Tinkey asserted that the media was responsible, using terms like "allegedly" and "reportedly" in the articles in question.
The 500 bumper stickers distributed by the Dittmans have had a minimal impact in a county of 63,000, said Tinkey. Court devices to provide for a fair trial would protect Crooks from a prejudiced jury, Tinkey assured the court.
In rebuttal, Rigdon compared the bumper sticker campaign to a local election in which candidates would consider the county well covered if they placed 500 signs in local yards. Rigdon noted that the bumper stickers have one advantage over campaign signs - they move.
Crooks reportedly found her daughter dead the morning of Jan. 24. Toxicology and autopsy reports later found the child had ingested six cigarettes and had valium in her blood. The child choked on her vomit and died, officials said.
Crooks was reportedly due in court the day of her daughter's death for a custody hearing in a matter filed by the Dittmans, who had cared for the child for more than 10 months.
Reed told both parties not to expect a decision before the Easter weekend.
