M EDIA R ELEASE

F OR I MMEDIATE R ELEASE

To: All local media outlets

From: Marshall County Prosecutors Office

Date: February 10, 2017

Re: Rovenstine Trial Setting and Pre-Trial Motions

The eleventh-hour request to remove E. Nelson Chipman, Jr. as Special

Prosecutor, filed by Aaron Rovenstine, served to continue the trial of the Sheriff
but will not delay the rescheduling or pre-trial issues.
Moments before Tami Napier and Matt Sarber were poised to begin their
dialogue with prospective jurors; the defense filed a motion effectively seeking to
remove Chipman from his prosecutorial function in the case. Napier and Sarber,
Chief Deputy Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor respectively, were prepared to
present the case to the jury in Chipmans absence. The motion focused on the
procedural aspects of Chipmans appointment.
After a brief hearing before the Honorable Judge Michael Reed, Kosciusko
County Circuit Court judge, the defenses motion was denied. The hearing before
Judge Reed was in a separate case that only pertained to the appointment of
Chipman not the criminal indictment of Aaron Rovenstine. Upon having their
motion denied by Judge Reed, the defense counsel for Rovenstine told the court
they would seek an immediate appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court to challenge
Chipmans involvement in the matter.
Based on the impending appeal lodged by the defense, Special Judge Evan
S. Roberts, presiding judge in the pending criminal matters, granted a request to
continue the trial of Rovenstine. At that time the jurors called for the trial were
dismissed from their duty and the case was continued without a further trial date.
Upon a review of the filings in the confidential grand jury proceedings it was
discovered Chipman had complied with each and every duty of his prosecutorial

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appointment. In fact, Chipman had filed the very progress report the defense was
alleging had not been filed.
When the discovery was made an immediate hearing was held to correct
the trajectory of the case. The attached order is the result of the hearing which
was held the afternoon of February 7, 2017. The trial of Rovenstine was
rescheduled to commence April 3, 2017. Additionally, the office of E. Nelson
Chipman, Jr. intends to comply with Special Judge Roberts order for
reimbursement by tendering specific monetary expenses, suffered by the States
witnesses as a result of the continuance, for payment by the defense.