The woman accused of second-degree murder in the death of two Bastrop Police Department detectives will have her day in court in Bossier Parish.

Fourth District Court Judge Scott Leehy on Friday granted a change of venue motion filed by attorneys representing Tanya Smith, accused in the August 2007 shooting deaths of Detective Sergeants John Smith and Chuck Wilson.

Attorneys Charles Kincade and Louis Scott filed the motion, claiming their client could not receive a fair trial in Bastrop because of extensive pre-trial publicity.

In granting the motion, Leehy set a hearing date of Jan. 5, 2009, for hearing pre-trial motions at the Morehouse Parish Courthouse before granting the formal change of venue to begin on Jan. 6.
Fourth District Attorney Jerry Jones said his office did not oppose the change of venue motion filed by Smith’s attorneys.

“With the media attention and public opinioin surrouding this case, there was no way we would be able to try (Smith) in Bastrop,” Jones said.

Smith was charged after her arrest Aug. 12, 2007 outside Houston, Texas. Smith fled the area after Smith and Wilson were shot Aug. 10 outside the Best Budget Inn in Bastrop. Smith’s boyfriend, Dennis Clem, shot the officers after they entered the hotel room where the couple were staying. Clem died minutes later after he was shot leaving the hotel room.

Smith faces state charges of two counts of second-degree murder, plus a number of weapons charges.

She was convicted in U.S. District Court on Oct. 1 in connection with federal weapons charges filed in connection with the shootings. The federal weapons charges were levied because she and Clem were on probation following their conviction on drug charges in federal court in Texas.

Alex Brendle, also charged as an accessory in 4th District Court and with weapons charges in U.S. District Court, testified against Smith at her federal hearing. U.S. District Court Judge Robbie James set sentencing for Smith for Jan. 6. Following his testimony, Brendle received a 10-year sentence. Smith faces a possible 25-year sentence following her federal conviction. At her formal sentencing hearing, James will consider adding three years to her sentence if he revokes her probation on the Texas drug conviction.