Out-of-town jury not sought in trial over NBA player's death

Published May. 30, 2019 7:57 p.m. ET

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Attorneys for the ex-wife of slain former NBA player Lorenzen Wright have withdrawn their request to bring in a jury from another county to serve in her trial.

News outlets report that Sherra Wright's defense attorneys said they were withdrawing the change of venue motion in Shelby County Criminal Court on Tuesday. Her lawyers had argued that intense publicity in the case would be an obstacle for a fair trial in Memphis and they asked a judge to seek a jury composed of people from a separate county.

Lorenzen Wright's body was found in a field in Memphis in July 2010. He was missing for 10 days before his body was found riddled with bullet wounds. Sherra Wright and co-defendant Billy Turner have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Their trial is scheduled on Sept. 16.

In a Thursday hearing, Judge Lee Coffee denied a motion from Sherra Wright's defense lawyers to keep jurors from hearing wiretapped communications from her cellphone at trial.