HARRISONBURG, La. – The attorney for a man charged in a 1994 Jonesville death is asking District Attorney John Johnson to recuse himself from the case because a D.A.’s Office employee is related to the defendant.

In May, a grand jury indicted Robert Hudson, 41, on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the September 1994 death of Timothy Littleton of Jonesville. He allegedly shot Littleton as Littleton and a friend tried to steal marijuana plants from a field near the Black River in south Catahoula Parish.

The motion filed by Monroe attorney Steven Hanson stated that Johnson &uot;has a personal interest in this case … because of past personal relationships&uot; and that Hudson &uot;is related to a member of the District Attorney’s Office.&uot;

Johnson could not be reached for comment and Hanson would not comment Tuesday.

Judge Kathy Johnson of Seventh Judicial District Court has set a hearing on the motion for Aug. 15. If Johnson recuses himself or the court removes him from the case, Hudson’s case would be prosecuted by another jurisdiction, probably the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.

In addition, Hanson alleged in the motion that two witnesses in Hudson’s May 26 bail hearing gave false testimony. He also asked Judge Johnson to set bail for Hudson, who is being held in the Catahoula Parish Jail without bond.

Also on Aug. 15, Judge Johnson will hear a motion Hanson filed to change the venue of the case due to pretrial publicity that Hanson wrote &uot;has prejudiced the prospective jurors against the defendant.&uot;

Hanson added that &uot;it is particularly difficult to get a fair trial in cases such as this in a small parish (like Catahoula) because the jurors generally know each other (and) do not want to thwart community sentiment.&uot;

The grand jury in May also indicted Hudson’s wife, 35-year-old Celestine Hudson, and his brother George &uot;Butch&uot; Hudson and sister-in-law Merrie Hudson on charges of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder.

On Tuesday, Judge Johnson reduced Celestine Hudson’s bond from $90,000 to $60,000. But Celestine Hudson was still being held in the Catahoula Parish Jail as of late Tuesday afternoon.

Robert Hudson and Celestine Hudson turned themselves in May 3 at Hanson’s office and were transported to the Catahoula jail by Louisiana State Police after a several-day manhunt.