Cleveland County judge sets hearing over location of balleria death trial proceedings

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A judge sets a hearing on whether the trial of a man accused in the death of a University of Oklahoma ballet student should be held at the OU College of Law.<br/><br/>Anthony Sanchez

Friday, December 9th 2005, 6:19 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A judge sets a hearing on whether the trial of a man accused in the death of a University of Oklahoma ballet student should be held at the OU College of Law.

Anthony Sanchez is charged with first-degree murder, rape, forcible sodomy and kidnapping in the 1996 death of Jewell "Juli" Busken, who was found at Lake Stanley Draper after she'd been abducted, raped, bound and shot.

Sanchez has pleaded innocent to the charges and is set to go on trial January 30th at the Cleveland County Courthouse. But District Judge Tom Lucas says his courtroom lacks the space to accommodate what's expected to be a large trial audience.

Also, construction crews have begun renovating the courthouse.

The Dick Bell Courtroom at the law school has more than 200 seats and hosted the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals as they heard a death penalty appeal in February 2002.

Sanchez's attorney, Diane Box, has filed an objection to holding proceedings at the OU College of Law.

District Attorney Tim Kuykendall declined comment.