93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
A Boone County judge has rejected a request from the attorney for a high-profile murder suspect to delay the trial, meaning that Joseph Elledge will go to trial for murder on November 1.
Elledge is charged with first degree murder for the October 2019 death of his wife, Menggi Ji.
Elledge’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, told Judge Brouck Jacobs that he needed more time to prepare for trial, saying the prosecutor’s office has sent him 1,200 additional pages of discovery. The prosecutor’s office opposed a delay, and Judge Jacobs told Rosenblum that he still has five weeks to depose witnesses, before trial.
Thursday’s court hearing was heated from the start, between veteran Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight and prominent defense attorney Rosenblum.
Knight told Judge Jacobs that cell phone records place Elledge at the grave site of his wife at Rock Bridge State Park in October 2019. Knight also says soil found on Elledge’s boots place him at the grave site.
Counselor Rosenblum accused Knight of “poisoning the jury” in open court, and Knight responded by saying “I don’t see any jury here.” Knight and Rosenblum sparred in court several times, and the judge had to step in several times.
Knight says he’s subpoenaed 180 witnesses to testify in Elledge’s trial, which is expected to take two weeks.
