Move Trial, Say Lawyers for Sanchez

Lawyers for Simi Valley serial rapist Vincent Sanchez asked a judge Friday to move his upcoming murder trial to another county because of publicity surrounding the high-profile case.

Sanchez, 32, is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old college student Megan Barroso. He allegedly used a high-powered assault rifle and took aim as she drove home from a friend’s house last year.

Prosecutors, who contend that Sanchez killed Barroso during a kidnap and rape attempt, are seeking the death penalty in the trial scheduled for Jan. 13. Sanchez has admitted killing Barroso but denies that he tried to rape her. He has also pleaded guilty to raping seven women between 1996 and 2001.

In August, defense attorneys and prosecutors polled hundreds of prospective jurors to determine their knowledge of the case. Defense lawyers say their results show that media coverage has tainted the jury pool in Ventura County and are asking Superior Court Judge Ken Riley to move the trial.

But Ventura County prosecutors say fair and impartial jurors can be found locally.

On Friday, prosecution witness Ebbe B. Ebbesen, a professor of psychology at UC San Diego, testified that the survey results are flawed and that jurors are not as familiar with the case as defense lawyers contend.