Judge: Trial of former police officer Aaron Dean will remain in Tarrant County

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The murder trial of former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean will be delayed until June, but will stay in Tarrant County.

Dean's trial, for the shooting death of Atatiana Jefferson in 2019, was supposed to begin with jury selection next week.

His lead attorney however, Jim Lane, has been unable to prepare for the trial due to health problems Judge David Hagerman said Wednesday could be "dire." Hagerman appeared to be frustrated in agreeing to the continuance, leaving the courtroom immediately after forcefully reading his order.

Assistant criminal district attorney Dale Smith also appeared frustrated, loudly proclaiming he had no more business with the court today, before also quickly leaving the room.

Smith argued in the hearing against further delay, saying the community and Jefferson's family deserved to have the trial happen.

Earlier, Judge Hagerman denied a defense request to move the trial out of Tarrant County due to media coverage of the case. He agreed it had been pervasive, and even prejudicial. However he found it was not inflammatory and with so much time having passed, that a jury could be found among more than two million people in the county.

Hagerman said jury selection will begin June 20, and the trial will start June 23, "without exception."