Attorneys will try to seat a jury in Cass County to hear the trial of one of two men accused of murder in the fatal beating of Fargo dentist Philip Gattuso last year.
During a hearing this morning in Cass County District Court, Judge Frank Racek was to hear a motion to move the trial but the attorney for Michael Nakvinda withdrew the motion, first wanting to see how jury selection goes.
"We'll try to pick a jury and see what happens," said Steve Mottinger, the attorney for Nakvinda.
Gene Kirkpatrick, father of Gattuso's late wife, is accused of paying $3,000 to Nakvinda to kill Gattuso. Police believe Kirkpatrick wanted to gain custody of Gattuso's daughter.
Nakvinda could renew his motion to change the trial location during jury selection for the trial, set to begin Aug. 10.
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Gattuso was found dead in his south Fargo home Oct. 26.
