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Trial for Bass Webb will likely be moved to Morehead

3/29/2013

By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer
It appears the upcoming Bass Webb murder trial will be moving from Mt. Sterling to Morehead.
Attorneys involved in the case are expected to submit an agreed order next week in Montgomery County Circuit Court outlining a change of venue in the case.
The only potential roadblock could be if the family of the victim, Sabrina Marie Vaughn, object. But thus far, prosecutors have been unable to contact members of the family since taking the matter under consideration, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Autumn Dmytrewycz said.
At a court hearing March 21, Circuit Judge Beth Maze told prosecutors she wants them to make further attempts to reach the family before she signs off on the order.
Dmytrewycz told Maze that she and the defense agreed that it would be too difficult to try and seat an impartial jury in Montgomery County. Maze previously ordered that potential jurors be questioned individually as part of the voir dire process, which could delay the seating of a jury.
Maze also moved the start date for the trial, which was expected to get under way April 15. The trial is now scheduled to commence Sept. 3 and continue through most of that month.
A pretrial conference was scheduled for July 18 so attorneys and the judge can discuss logistical issues involving the trial such as whether to allow jurors to possess cell phones during the proceedings.
One issue Maze plans to discuss is the potentially disruptive behavior involving Webb, who has a propensity for violence and previously spit at a judge in Bourbon County.
Maze said she wanted to know if a shock belt and spit guard for Webb would be necessary at the trial.
Public defender Jeremy Kemper, one of Webb’s attorneys, told Maze he didn’t think it would be necessary.
Kemper did ask that Webb be moved to the Rowan County Jail during the course of the trial so he will have easier access to his attorneys. Maze granted the request.
Webb is currently being held at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in Morgan County.
Vaughn, a former girlfriend of Webb’s, had been missing for seven years until her remains were recovered in Powell County in January 2010. Authorities allege that she was strangled to death at a Jeffersonville apartment before her body was dumped in Powell County.
An alleged accomplice, Jonathan French, also faces charges for allegedly helping dump the body.
Webb has garnered considerable media attention in connection with a series of previous crimes.
He pleaded guilty last year to the murder of another ex-girlfriend, Bryia Runiewicz, in Harrison County and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He entered the guilty plea shortly before he was to go on trial.
A change of venue in that case was granted after attorneys spent nine days trying to seat a jury in Harrison County, but were unable to do so.
Webb also has previous convictions for attempted murder in Bourbon County, where he reportedly spit on a judge, and the assault of a deputy jailer at the Fayette County Detention Center.