VIDALIA &8212;A change of venue in the Ferriday voter fraud case was granted Friday, moving the trial to Ouachita Parish.

Judge Sharon Marchman &8212; a judge from outside the parish appointed after both local judges recused themselves &8212; ruled on the matter after hearing arguments from the state and the defense council last week. Marchman revealed her decision to move the trial in a 3 p.m. conference call Friday, between the attorneys.

The state attorneys made the push to get the trial moved to another parish citing pre-trial publicity. The defendants include several Town of Ferriday employees and other well-known Ferriday figures. The election in question includes the 2004 Ferriday mayor&8217;s race.

The trial for Justin Conner, James Skipper, Willie Robinson and Emerson Slain will start at 9 a.m. Aug. 7 at the Ouachita Parish Courthouse.

The trial of Henrietta Williams will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 in Ouachita Parish.

Williams was found guilty in May on one count of filing a false public document, an absentee ballot. She was sentenced to serve five years; all but 18 months were suspended. Williams is still facing 21 additional counts of voter fraud.

Conner is charged with nine counts of conspiracy, seven counts of filing or maintaining public records and seven counts of principal to forgery.

Robinson is charged with three counts of principal to forgery and three counts of conspiracy to filing or maintaining false public records.

Slain is charged with three counts of filing or maintaining false public records. Skipper, already incarcerated on a drug conviction, is charged with three counts of conspiracy for filing public records and two counts of principal to forgery.

Williams faces 21 counts including criminal conspiracy, election offense and filing or maintaining false public records.

Assistant Attorney General Butch Wilson is prosecuting the case. Attorneys for the defendants include Robert E. Clark, Samuel H. Thomas, Raymond Lee Cannon, Derrick Carson and William G. Whatley.