Halifax County judge to hear Speight murder case

A judge from Halifax County will hear the case against an Appomattox man accused of murdering eight people.

At a hearing Tuesday, it was announced that Judge Joel Cunningham from Halifax County will hear the case against Christopher Speight.  Appomattox County Circuit Court Judge Richard Blanton, who had been hearing the case, has retired.

Cunningham was not at Tuesday's hearing.  Another hearing will be held June 7th.

Christopher Speight is charged with capital murder for the fatal shooting of eight people, many of them members of his own family, in January 2010.  Speight has been declared competent to stand trial but no trial date has been set.