Judge OKs change of venue for Barger

William Barger was scheduled to appear in the Vernon County courtroom of Circuit Judge James R. Bickel on Tuesday, May 4, but only his attorney, Jeffrey Martin of the Harrisonville public defender's office, stood before the judge.

Barger did not appear because Bickel had granted the request for change of venue Martin had filed on his behalf. Before the brief proceeding, Vernon County Prosecutor Lynn M. Ewing III handed Charles Scammell a document and told him, "Mr. Barger is entitled to a change of venue by rule; we can't stop it from happening."

The change of venue has moved the multiple felony case to Dade County. Bickel will remain the presiding judge and Ewing will prosecute, but all appearances will be made in the Dade County courthouse in Greenfield.

Barger faces 11 felony counts in relation to the November 2009 home invasion of Charles Scammell. Four other men have been charged in the same incident. Douglas Stangeland, Andrew Wadel and Lonnie Swarnes have been charged in the home invasion and the botched kidnapping of a New Jersey man.

Swarnes has already been extradited to New Jersey where he is being held on a $750,000 cash only bond.

Stangeland and Wadel are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and being held in an undisclosed location in Kansas City, awaiting transportation to Sussex County, N.J.

Roy Slates was also charged with two felonies in relation to the case and is free on a $5,000 bond. His next scheduled court appearance is May 27. Barger will appear in front of Bickel in Dade County for a pre trial conference on May 17 at 9:30 a.m. He remains in the Vernon County Jail with no bond.