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Hernando Today

Lake County Confirmed Site Of 'Walker' Beating Trials

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By HERNANDO TODAY STAFF

Published: February 13, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Lake County it is.

A brief hearing Thursday morning confirmed the trials of two men accused of beating a man known as "The Walker" will be moved to the courthouse in Tavares.

The trials of Jamie Tyson, 18, and Michael Vann, 24, were supposed to begin this week, but the jury pool had been tainted by months of publicity. Lawyers on both sides agreed to a new venue outside the scope of the Tampa Bay media market.

Juries will be selected for both attempted murder suspects on Monday, April 6, and Tyson's case will be heard first. He's expected to testify in Vann's trial, which is scheduled for April 8 and 9.

Both are accused of attacking John Kelly, 50, who earned his nickname for his daily habit of walking Hernando County's roads. Investigators allege that Tyson and Vann beat Kelly the night of Sept. 19, 2007, on the shoulder of State Road 50 and robbed him of $100.

A third suspect, Anthony Hawkins, pleaded guilty in December 2007.

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