Nov 04, 2009 (Greeley Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX News Network) --

The mortgage fraud trial of Mark Strodtman started Wednesday morning with the defense counsel seeking a change of venue.

Strodtman, 52, is on trial for 11 counts of felony theft, 11 counts of forgery and one count of racketeering under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act.

Strodtman is accused of creating an elaborate kickback scheme involving sales of 11 homes through his company, JS Real Estate in Greeley, in 2005 and 2006.

Last fall, Strodtman was extradited back to Colorado after staying in Mexico since his grand jury indictment in March 2008. He's been in Weld County Jail ever since under a $12 million bond.

Before opening statements this morning, defense attorney David Kaplan of Denver asked for a change of venue, given the publicity that New Frontier Bank has received. Strodtman had dealings with the bank, mostly through his business partner Dean Juhl, who was a bank employee and an original bank founder. The bank failed in April.

Changes of venue are sought when attorneys don't believe they can pick a jury that would give defendants fair trials. Attorneys on both sides Tuesday afternoon accepted a jury of 14 people, skipping a couple of extra chances to get new jurors on the panel.

Weld District Court Judge Marcelo Kopcow denied the request, saying, "All 14 jurors can provide Mr. Strodtman a fair and expeditious trial based on their responses during jury selection. The court also finds even though there has been some pretrial publicity, with regard to New Frontier Bank, which is indirectly associated with this case, the court is finding the existence of pretrial publicity is not massive, pervasive or prejudicial to the point where it requires the defendant to have change of venue."

Check back at www.greeleytribune.com later today for more trial updates.

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