THE TRIAL FOR A GRUNDY CENTER MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING AN IOWA STATE TROOPER IS BEING MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION, BUT PROSECUTORS HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED WHERE THAT WILL BE.

THE TRIAL OF MICHAEL LANG WAS INITIALLY SET TO TAKE PLACE IN GRUNDY COUNTY, BUT THE DEFENSE ARGUED IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEAT AN UNBIASED JURY THERE.

LANG, 42, IS CHARGED WITH MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER, AND ASSAULT OF A PEACE OFFICER IN THE DEATH OF IOWA STATE PATROL SERGEANT JIM SMITH IN APRIL 2021.

ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORTS, LANG FLED FROM OFFICERS DURING A TRAFFIC STOP. HE ALLEDGEDLY SHOT SMITH WHEN OFFICERS ENTERED HIS HOME TO MAKE AN ARREST.

AT A HEARING WEDNESDAY IN GRUNDY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, ARGUMENTS WERE MADE OVER A DEFENSE MOTION TO HAVE A SEPARATE TRIAL ON THE ASSAULT CHARGE.

JUDGE JOEL DALRYMPLE INDICATED HE WOULD RULE ON THE MOTION AT A LATER DATE.

AN APRIL HEARING WAS SET ON A DEFENSE MOTION TO SUPRESS STATEMENTS MADE BY LANG DURING POLICE INTERVIEWS FOLLOWING THE STANDOFF