Milwaukee County Judge Orders Heaggan-Brown's Trial will Stay in Milwaukee

The former Milwaukee Police Officer charged with shooting and killing a man last summer appeared in court today on charges of homicide and sexual assault.

Dominique Heaggan-Brown's lawyers say there's been a lot of publicity in this case both from local news and internet chatter. They asked the judge to hold the trial somewhere else or to use jurors who do not live in Milwaukee County.

Brown's hearing on Monday was for multiple charges. Police said Heaggan-Brown shot Sylville Smith in the Sherman Park neighborhood last August.

Police fired the officer in October after he was charged with sexual assault and prostitution. The criminal complaint lists four victims dating back to 2015

He will be tried for the sexual assault charges in August. The trial for the homicide charges of Sylville Smith will start in June.

There is one more court appearance before jury selection starts. The judge ruled the trial will stay in Milwaukee County, and he believes the court will be able to find a fair jury.

“Due to the fact my cousin died in this county. Like I said it happened here, it was affected here, so let it be handled here,” said Thaddeus Ashford, Sylville Smith's cousin.