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Last updated on Thursday, December 17, 2015
(NASHVILLE) - The defense attorney for accused murderer Daniel Messel was granted more time to prepare for his trial.
Messel is accused of killing Indiana University student Hannah Wilson.
Brown County Prosecutor Ted Adams did not object to delaying Daniel Messel's murder trial, but he had one request from the 22-year-old victim's parents: that the trial not be held in April, the month in which the student from Fishers was born and in which she died saying it's too emotional for the family.
Brown Circuit Judge Judith Stewart agreed to honor that request and set the trial for June 1.The trial is expected to last three weeks with more than 150 potential jurors being interviewed before 12, plus two alternates, being selected.
Defense attorney Dorie Maryan asked for the continuance, saying tracking down witnesses and doing depositions is taking longer than expected.
50-year-old Messel is charged with murder and with being a habitual offender because he has at least two prior unrelated felony convictions. If convicted as a habitual offender, 20 years could be added to his sentence if convicted of killing Wilson. The prosecution says Messel has an extensive 25 year criminal history which includes violence against women.
Messel, a print shop worker from Bloomington, was arrested after police found his cell phone near Wilson's body. Police found Messel at his home on Ison Road, where they say they found him with bloody clothes in a garbage bag and blood in his car.
Wilson's body was discovered a day after she was reported missing. On April 24 a motorist discovered Wilson's body face-down in a vacant lot at State Road 45 and Plum Creek Road in Brown County.
An autopsy determined Wilson had died from blunt force injuries to the back of her head.
Judge Stewart ordered half of the jurors summoned to court will appear Wednesday, June 1 and be questioned individually about pretrial publicity and their knowledge of the case. The other 75 will come in Thursday,June 2 to be questioned one by one. On Friday, June 3, jurors not tainted by media reports will reconvene and go through the regular jury selection process.
Judge Stewart says the process will be long and tedious, but necessary to ensure a fair trial for Messel in a highly publicized case. She also say ordered there will be no ore trail delays granted.
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