Trial of dangerous convict moved to Carson City from Ely

In March, the murder trial of an inmate considered to be highly dangerous was moved from Ely to Carson City.

District Court Judge Steve Dobrescu, of Ely, issued his change of venue order just before the scheduled start of the trial of Marritte Funches, an inmate at the maximum-security Ely State Prison.

The venue change was made following the state Supreme Court's refusal to intervene following Dobrescu's previous order that Funches, 36, would have to be shackled and cuffed if he stood trial in the old Ely courthouse, which has been described as unsafe.

Funches, currently serving a life sentence for murder, faces trial for the 2004 murder of another Ely State Prison inmate, Carl Green.

Since 1993, he has incurred nearly a dozen disciplinary sanctions for violence or threats.

No trial date has been set.