Jury will decide case against Missouri governor, judge rules

ST. LOUIS — (AP):

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ request that a judge, not a jury, determine his fate in a criminal case has been rejected.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Circuit Judge Rex Burlison denied the request for a bench trial after a hearing Monday.

Greitens was indicted in February on felony fourth-degree invasion of privacy for allegedly taking an unauthorized partially-nude photo of a woman with whom he was having an affair in 2015, before he was elected. Greitens has admitted to the affair but denied criminal wrongdoing, accusing Democratic Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner of a politically motivated investigation.

Greitens’ attorneys had sought the bench trial citing the high amount of publicity the case has received, but the prosecution objected.

Greitens’ trial is set for May 14.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com