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Kentucky's chief justice is being asked to disqualify a senior judge from hearing a death penalty case.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports the motion seeks to remove Martin McDonald from the case of death row inmate Roger Dale Epperson. Epperson is seeking a new trial based on claims his trial lawyers were ineffective.

Assistant public advocate David Barron says McDonald harbors a bias against his client. Barron says in a previous hearing, McDonald made a threatening gesture toward him. He claims McDonald threatened to strangle the lawyer if he called the judge's cell phone again.

McDonald has said he was being facetious when he threatened to strangle Barron.