Thirty-eight-year-old Chad Jamie Gulbertson on Monday pleaded not guilty in Freeborn County District Court to all counts against him in the alleged murder of Jody Lee Morrow last June.

Gulbertson faces five murder charges, including three first-degree murder charges and two second-degree murder charges, after a grand jury indictment in October.

During court Monday, his lawyer, Kevin Riha, requested a speedy jury trial and a change of venue.

The date for the trial or the location has not yet been set.

Assistant Minnesota Attorney General Bill Klumpp objected to the change-of-venue motion, noting that many of the civilian witnesses for the prosecution are from the Cedar House and do not have a driver’s license.

Freeborn County District Court Judge John A. Chesterman did not immediately grant the change of venue but indicated he would support one and would look into whether the trial could be held in Olmsted County.

Because of the speedy trial demand, the trial will be held as close to 60 days from the plea as possible, Chesterman said.

Both Riha and Klumpp agreed the trial would last about three weeks, including jury selection.

The plea comes after Gulbertson was found mentally competent to stand trial in November.

He was arrested June 21, 2009, after authorities found Morrow, 38, dead inside her trailer at 730 Larimore Circle in Albert Lea.

Before officers found Morrow, Gulbertson reportedly came into the Law Enforcement Center in the Freeborn County Government Center with a family member and told an officer he thought he killed his former girlfriend, according to police reports.

A preliminary report from the Freeborn County medical examiner determined that Morrow’s death was caused by multiple blunt-force injuries to her head with a hammer, according to court documents.

Morrow had applied for an emergency order for protection against Gulbertson in both September of 2008 and in May of 2009. She was granted an official order for protection June 1, according to court records.

Riha said he will intends to rely on a heat-of-passion type argument in the trial.

The lawyers and Chesterman agreed they also need to have a pretrial to resolve any outstanding issues regarding the jury.

Klumpp said he and Riha plan to exchange witness lists two weeks before the trial.

Gulbertson remains in the Freeborn County jail.