Turner also says he would not object to moving the case to Pike County

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — The prosecutor has responded to a Floyd County murder defendant’s request to move the trial and hold it as soon as possible.

Floyd County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brent Turner filed his responses on Thursday, after defense attorney Steven Romines filed motions for a speedy trial and a change of venue earlier this month.

Romines is representing M.K. McKinney, 25, who is charged with the murder of Amber Spradlin. Spradlin’s body was found June 18, 2023, in the home of McKinney’s father, Prestonsburg dentist Michael McKinney. She had been stabbed at least a dozen times in the neck and head.

Both McKinneys and family friend Josh Mullins are also charged with eight counts of evidence tampering for allegedly trying to cover up the crime.

Romines filed the motions to assert M.K. McKinney’s constitutional right to a speedy trial and to move the case, because he says pre-trial publicity would make it impossible for his client to get a fair trial in Floyd County.

Turner agrees with the need to move the trial and said that Special Judge Eddy Coleman’s stated preference to move it to Pike County would be satisfactory to the prosecution.

Turner departs from the defense in terms of the trial’s timing, however, saying it could be another year before the prosecution is prepared to present its case.

Turner said the state crime lab will not finish processing all of the evidence in the case until later this year, and then both the prosecution and defense will need time to review the evidence, obtain expert opinions and prepare for trial. As such, he says he does not believe the case will be ready for trial until next February or March.

Turner says waiting until all of the analysis is finished could work for the defense’s benefit, because it could produce exculpatory evidence.

The defense now has two weeks to submit a response to Turner’s filings. Judge Coleman is expected to rule on the matters at a hearing on April 22.

Copies of Turner’s responses are provided below: