Alleged drug kingpin’s trial moved from Indianapolis to Evansville
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The second attempt at a trial for an alleged drug kingpin will be in Evansville, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Prosecutors have said that Richard Grundy III led a drug ring that sold marijuana, meth, cocaine and heroin in the Indianapolis area. Grundy and four others, who authorities call “the Grundy’ Gang, are facing prosecution. More than a dozen other suspects have already pleaded guilty.
A mistrial was declared on the third day of the first trial for Grundy and the four others in June at the Birch Bayh Federal Building in downtown Indianapolis. The court found that an order concerning juror information was violated.
Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson set Grundy’s second trial for 9 a.m. July 29 at the Winfield K. Denton Federal Building in Evansville. Magnus-Stinson’s order on Friday did not give a reason for moving the trial to Evansville.
The judge’s Friday also outlined limits on the public and the media for the trial in Evansville:
- No cellphones, laptops or other electronic devices will be allowed.
- “All individuals attending the trial must be dressed in appropriate courtroom attire.” Forbidden items include short shorts, low-rise pants or shorts, halter tops, tank tops, lowcut tops or tops revealing midriffs and off-the-shoulder tops. Also banned are any clothing that expose undergarments.
- No talking or whispering will be allowed. Attempting to talk with the defendants during the trial will not be tolerated. Violators may be excluded from the courtroom for the rest of the trial.
- All people attending must have a valid photo ID.
At one point, Grundy was connected to as many as seven murders. Prosecutors dropped those charges in 2017 when Grundy entered a plea deal.
