A trial date has been set for a Harrisburg doctor accused of murdering his wife, Carla Burns, and burning her remains two years ago.

The Southern Illinoisan reports that Brian Burns’ trial will start on Sept. 19. That date was set during a pretrial conference Friday in Saline County Court.

There have been delays in setting a date for Burns to stand trial for his actions due to various cirucumstances like his first attorney – Brian Drew – trying to change the venue due to media contamination of the jury pool and that Burns’ trial for allegedly colluding with his cellmate to kidnap then State’s Attorney Mike Henshaw would happen first before the murder trial.

The jury convicted Burns of attempted kidnapping last May. But before sentencing happened, Burns announced he was firing Drew because they no longer agreed about his defense and later hired Duane Verity to represent him. Burns was sentenced in January to 20 years in state prison.

Verity says he is on the fence as to whether the September trial date will be met. Verity says there are motions to be filed with one of those potentially asking for a change of venue again. He feels Burns won’t get a fair trial in Saline County.

Burns is charged with first-degree murder and concealing a death in this case.

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