A trial date has been set for the man accused of fatally shooting his 11-year-old daughter in Sumner County.
Timothy Batts appeared in court Tuesday morning for a hearing, where a judge denied a motion to sequester the jury during his trial.
The prosecutor argued that keeping jurors in hotels is expensive for taxpayers.
Batts' attorney argued the jury should be sequestered in the case due to its high-profile media coverage.
She also requested the case be moved to a different venue.
Batts has been accused of reckless homicide and tampering with evidence after detectives said he shot his daughter, Timea, when she came home from her first day of school.
Batts told detectives he thought Timea was an intruder when she came in while he was sleeping. However, police claim they have surveillance video of Batts walking around the home with a gun before she came home.
The judge said a jury has never been sequestered in Sumner County. He is taking a venue change under advisement and ordering a jury questionnaire to be sent out in June to potential jurors.
If there appears to be bias, he will likely move the case to another county.
A trial date was scheduled for July 17.
