Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr., who was indicted for the murder of University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee, has filed a change of venue motion for his Oct. 15 trial, which is currently set to take place at the Lafayette County Circuit Court.

Kevin Horan, Herrington’s lawyer and a Mississippi state representative, argued that Herrington would not be able to receive a fair trial in Lafayette County due to the amount of publicity and information available regarding the case.

“There are numerous articles in the media and on social media about this trial and it will prejudice potential jurors against the Defendant,” read part of the motion’s argument.

In addition to submitting articles from The Oxford Eagle, The Daily Mississippian, the Mississippi Free Press, and WTVA, the defense submitted material from the Instagram and TikTok accounts of the group JusticeForJayLee and a March 29, 2023, press release from the Oxford Police Department. This material will be taken into consideration by the court.

Fifteen affidavits from residents of Lafayette County who attested under oath that Herrington cannot receive a fair trial were also submitted.  

This motion was filed based on the Mississippi Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.1 (a) and 11.1 (2), according to the argument.

Herrington, a UM graduate, was arrested for Lee’s murder on July 22, 2022, and released on a $250,000 bond in December 2022.

Lee, a 2022 UM graduate and prominent member of the Oxford queer community, was last seen on July 8, 2022, leaving his home at Campus Walk Apartments. His body has yet to be recovered.