When is trial date for father of accused shooter at Apalachee High School?

Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm this week signed an order setting Sept. 8 as the trial date for Colin Gray, the father of the 14-year-old youth charged with killing two students, two teachers and wounding nine others at Apalachee High School.

The mass shooting occurred Sept. 4 at the high school in Winder, where the suspect Colt Gray was a ninth-grade student.

Colin Gray, 54, gave his young son the AR-15 style rifle as a Christmas gift, according to court records. He faces a 29-count indictment that include charges of second-degree murder and reckless conduct.

A trial date for Colt Gray on numerous murder and aggravated assault charges has not been set, as pretrial motions are still underway.

The elder Gray remains in jail, although Primm gave him a $500,000 bond in February, but the judge stipulated that 10% of the amount must be a cash bond.

Colin Gray has been granted a change of venue for the trial, a motion that was supported by the defense team led by attorney Brian Hobbs and and the prosecutors Piedmont Circuit District Attorney Brad Smith and chief assistant Patricia Brooks.

In Tuesday’s order, the judge told the lawyers he wanted their pre-trial motions filed by July 15. The judge also said he wanted to see a complete witness list and the jury selection questions that each side proposes for potential jurors by Aug. 15. If he has a problem with any question, he would discuss those with the lawyers.

The judge has not set a date for deciding on locations for the change of venue, but has told lawyers he will make a decision, which includes moving the trial to another county or bringing jurors from another county to Barrow County. The jury would be sequestered during the trial.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith testified earlier that there are 75 deputies on the witness list from his office and that will have an impact on his office if they must leave the county for the trial.

Primm has noted that the trial for Colin Gray is expected to take about three weeks, so he has to find a courthouse that will accommodate that timeframe as well as finding a courthouse with the needed technology to present evidence.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Trial date set for father of teen accused in Apalachee High shootings