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Zahra Baker's father wants fair trial

Nov 19, 2011 Karen Umpierre

Despite being acquitted of all charges related to the death of his daughter, Adam Baker believes the stigma that remains will have a negative effect on his upcoming identity theft trial in Catawba County, North Carolina, the Charlotte Observer reports. Baker's attorney, Mark Killian, recently requested a change of venue, claiming that his client may be unfairly linked to the murder of Zahra Baker. The death of 10-year old Zahra made headlines last year when her remains were discovered by investigators in November. It would later be determined in court that Baker's wife, Elisa, was responsible for the girl's death. She was sentenced to 15 to 18 years in prison. But Killian believes a local jury will still connect Baker, who will be on trial for obtaining property using false identity verification, with the crime. "The prevailing theory in the community is that Zahra's father, Adam Baker, and his wife, Elisa Baker, killed Zahra, then cut up her body and disposed of it to cover up the crime," said Killian, as quoted by the news source. According to the Hickory Daily Record, Baker's next court date is scheduled for January 3, pending a judge's decision to move the venue.