The trial of Scott Marshall, 37, of Marsh Hawk Road in Mathews began with jury selection Wednesday in Williamsburg/James City County Circuit Court. It is scheduled to continue through Friday. Marshall was indicted by a Mathews Grand Jury in July 2018 on charges of aggravated sexual battery and sodomy of a minor through mental incapacity or physical helplessness.
According to Mathews County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Bowen, who is prosecuting the case, Marshall is being tried on only one charge—forcible sodomy of a 15-year-old victim. If convicted, he faces a sentence of five years to life in prison.
The trial was originally slated to be held in Mathews County Circuit Court, but Marshall was granted a change of venue when he argued that the publicity about his case in Mathews would make it difficult to seat a jury that didn’t have prior knowledge of the case.
“You want people who can decide the case based on facts in the court,” said Bowen.
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