The attorney for Lori Isenberg has asked the court to change the location of his client’s murder trial in light of the publicity surrounding the case.

Coeur d’Alene defense attorney Jed Nixon, in a series of motions filed in First District Court, urged a judge to shelve Isenberg’s case to provide him more time to build a defense. Nixon also asked to change the venue because the publicity has been so harmful that seating an objective jury may be an unreasonable proposition. Further, Nixon asked for a gag order.

Isenberg, 66, who was booked into the Kootenai County jail last month after being indicted on a homicide charge, is accused of killing her husband, Larry, two years ago. Larry Isenberg’s body was found in Lake Coeur d’Alene after Lori told authorities he had fallen overboard during a boat ride with her. A coroner’s report showed Larry died of a lethal dose of benadryl.

In one of five motions filed in First District Court, Nixon said COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, could prevent him from meeting with his client. He asked the court to stay the proceedings indefinitely because “counsel is unsure when he will be able to meet with his client.”

Nixon also asked the court for a gag order to prevent attorneys, investigators or potential witnesses from talking with the media.

A non-dissemination order, Nixon argues in the motion, would prevent communication with the media that could aid the prosecution.

In another motion, Nixon argued for a change of venue, citing harmful publicity surrounding his client, who is already serving time on federal charges for embezzling more than a half million dollars from a Coeur d’Alene nonprofit.

“The amount of pretrial publicity is highly prejudicial and inflammatory thereby impacting Isenberg’s right to an impartial jury” and her right to due process, Nixon wrote in a motion.

Nixon asked to argue the motions before a judge, but so far no date has been set for oral argument.

Isenberg pleaded guilty in January 2019 to three counts of wire fraud for embezzling from the North Idaho Housing Coalition and is serving a five-year federal sentence.

She was indicted in January by a Kootenai County grand jury on the first-degree murder charge.