Judge Rules That State Witness Must Testify in Person at Upcoming Trial

A hearing was held Monday in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan in relation to an upcoming jury trial that is scheduled for next month. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

District Court Judge John Fenn denied a motion from the prosecution to have a witness from the State Crime Lab testify by video conference instead of in-person at the upcoming jury trial that is scheduled for Brandon Hanni in August. Sheridan County Deputy Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney for the State Christina White made the request at Hanni’s pretrial conference earlier this month to have the witness testify by video due to a scheduling conflict.

It was determined at Monday’s hearing that the witness will testify on the first day of the trial in Sheridan so that they can be released from their subpoena and be able to testify the following day in Evanston. Hanni is scheduled to stand trial for one count of delivery of a controlled substance- methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance- methamphetamine. If convicted on both counts, Hanni faces up to 40 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000.