THOUSAND OAKS : Defense in Murder Case Seeks Trial Move

Public defenders asked a judge Friday to move the murder trial of a Thousand Oaks teen-ager out of Ventura County, several court officials said.

Superior Court Judge Charles R. McGrath has set a hearing for June 3 to hear the change-of-venue motion in the murder case of Mark Scott Thornton, charged with the Sept. 14 kidnaping and killing of Westlake nurse Kellie O’Sullivan.

Police say O’Sullivan, 34, the mother of a young son, was fatally shot by an attacker who then stole her vehicle. Her body was found amid brush in the Santa Monica Mountains 12 days after she disappeared. Thornton, 19, also faces a special allegation attached to the murder charge that could send him to the gas chamber.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Peter D. Kossoris said Friday that he received the defense motion to move the trial.

A copy of it was provided to Judge McGrath, the judge’s secretary and Assistant Public Defender Duane A. Dammeyer said.

McGrath has blocked public access to all documents filed in court concerning the case. The Times and Ventura County Newspapers have asked the judge to unseal those documents.

The judge said he plans to release the public records after he hears the change-of-venue motion, which the district attorney’s office intends to fight, Kossoris said.

Defense attorneys have contended in court that Thornton cannot get a fair trial in Ventura County because of heavy pretrial publicity. But Kossoris said other cases with more publicity have been tried in counties where alleged crimes have occurred.

“There have been a lot more notorious cases than this where a fair jury was found,” Kossoris said, noting trials moved from Ventura County have usually involved cases in which suspects are accused of the torture or mutilation children.

Friday’s change-of-venue motion was filed by Deputy Public Defenders Howard J. Asher and Susan R. Olson, who were not available for comment.