![Jeffrey Willis’ Lawyer Moves to Remove Judge From Heeringa Case](http://townsquare.media/site/43/files/2016/06/Jeffrey-Willis-in-court.jpg?w=630&h=419&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89&w=980&q=75)
Jeffrey Willis’ Lawyer Moves to Remove Judge From Heeringa Case
A motion to determine whether the judge in the Jessica Heeringa murder trial will actually oversee it will likely be determined within the next few weeks.
Jeffrey Willis' attorney asked Judge Raymond Kostrzewa to recuse himself from the case because he worked in the Muskegon County prosecutor's office during the Jessica Heeringa murder investigation.
The motion to remove Judge Kostrzewa will be reviewed by a judge outside of Muskegon County and they will make a decision on the matter.
Willis' defense team has argued that although the judge said he can set aside any bias, "the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct requires judges to avoid even the appearance of impropriety."
A motion has also been filed to keep the press out of Willis' preliminary hearing (generally these hearings are open to the public.
In addition to the case involving the murder of Jessica Heeringa, Willis also is facing charges in the fatal shooting of Rebekah Bletsch in 2014, and the attempted abduction of a teenage girl in April 2016.
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