While a motion hearing over the defense request for a change of venue and a survey conducted over whether the media attention to the murder case involving Billy Craig Jr., resulted in prejudicing is scheduled for next week. Judge Tim Chambers did issue an opinion over one of the earlier motions in the case.

The defense contented that the state should have to honor an alleged plea agreement, which they claim consisted of Craig cooperating with the state with truthful information on the murder of Jennifer Heckel. The state would then consider granting him community corrections on his other two cases and not charging him for his involvement in the murder of Heckel or granting him immunity from prosecution.

They claim that Craig was truthful in the interviews he did with law enforcement, but Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell says that at one point Craig claimed he lied about his previous statements and wouldn’t comment anymore.

Judge Chambers is his opinion states that “it was made clear to the defendant and his counsel that if he didn’t make a statement consistent with the state’s perception of the facts, the defendant would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

He says its evident in this case that there were “misunderstandings” between the two sides and that had the plea agreement been made in written form or stated by the parties during the videotaped interview of Craig, his decision might be different, but it wasn’t, so the defendant’s motion to enforce any plea agreement was denied by the judge.

Craig is charged with 1st degree murder and other crimes associated with being involved in the killing of Jennifer Heckel on June 14, of 2011.

He along with Christopher Logsdon and possibly Matt Barnes went to the home of Heckel and killed her while her young son was in the next room listening.

Again, a hearing on the other motions in the case including the survey that shows 80.6 of those surveyed believe he is guilty is scheduled for next week.