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Lawyers for James Arthur Ray, the Oprah-approved “self-help” guru, who organized a deadly sweat lodge event near Sedona last year, want the motivational speaker’s trial moved from Yavapai County to Maricopa County.
Prosecutors, however, do not.
Ray’s been charged with three counts of manslaughter stemming from last year’s sweat-lodge event that left three people dead and dozens injured.
Check out the grizzly, vomit-filled details here.
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Ray’s lawyers say the media circus that erupted after the incident make it impossible for Ray to get a fair trial up north and want the trial moved to a Phoenix-area court.
That media circus, Ray’s attorneys might be shocked to find out, found its way to Phoenix, too, so a change in venue might be the solution the legal team is hoping for.
Prosecutors disagree with the defense’s claim. They say, aside from a few weeks after the incident, media coverage up there has been fairly minimal.
Ray was scheduled to start trial on August 31, but that date’s been vacated because Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Warren Darrow had a scheduling conflict.
No new trial date has been set.
The motion to move the trial is scheduled to be heard on August 10.
