LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A hearing to determine whether the murder trial of Casey Cole White will be held in Lauderdale County or moved to another county in the state has been set for December 2, according to online court documents.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 that afternoon on the third floor of the Lauderdale County Courthouse.

A motion requesting a change of venue was filed last week, due to the amount of publicity the case received during the 11-day nationwide manhunt when White left the Lauderdale County Detention Center with corrections employee Vicky White (no relation).

Circuit Judge Benjamin Graves approved the request on Wednesday.

Judge Graves approved an order to push the capital murder trial back to December 12 just last week, according to court records.

In the request for a change of venue, White’s defense referenced the massive amount of media coverage during the manhunt, with stories across several news stations and social media platforms containing, “significant portions of documentary and hearsay evidence relative to the defendant” – information his defense said was, “severely prejudiced the defendant.”

The change of venue motion argued a fair trial, and an “untainted,” impartial jury would be nearly impossible to find if the case went to trial in Lauderdale County.

A status conference is scheduled for November 29 at 1:30 p.m.

A deadline for motions filed or pending in the case was set for December 6 at 9 a.m., with a plea cutoff deadline set for December 8 at 1:30 p.m.