BOISE — The trial for Chad Daybell, accused of killing his wife's two children and his former wife, will begin April 1. The trial will be live-streamed. It will also be a death penalty trial so court officials say it will likely take longer and could involve the eventual sequestration of the jury.
- Chad Daybell is married to Lori Vallow Daybell who was convicted last July of killing her two children.
- Daybell faces a potential death penalty for his role in the murders.
- Court officials say jury selection and the penalty phase will probably take much longer than it did in Lori's case.
(the verbatim of the story that aired is below)(
The trial of Chad Daybell will be televised… on you tube at least.
“Technically how it will work is we will have cameras in the courtroom that the court will control,” said Steve Hippler, administrative district judge for 4th judicial district.
The Ada County courthouse has been preparing close to nine months for this April 1st trial.
That dates back to before the conviction of Daybell’s wife Lori for similar crimes, primarily the killing of her two children.
“How much did you learn from the last one. I think we learned a lot from the last one. I think we learned we can handle a huge case like this that garnered international attention,” said Hippler.
But it was complicated by the fact that media access was restricted.
“Numerous and constant requests from people for access. And how to do that access particularly on a case that was not being broadcast so there was a higher demand for court audio and things like that,” said Hippler.
Televising the Chad Daybell trial on YouTube means the courthouse won’t have to manage a media viewing room or provide daily audio recordings and Hippler says it also probably means less media at the courthouse.
But the Prosecutor has said allowing cameras in the courtroom would create a circus like atmosphere.
“Was it a circus like atmosphere last time. I think for the most part the media respected the rules we set down and did their job well. I wouldn’t characterize it as having been a circus no,” said Hippler.
Also, Chad Daybell could face the death penalty so, jury selection will take longer and if he’s found guilty there will be a penalty phase that could take weeks.
And that means that court officials will have to figure out a way to sequester a jury for an extended period of time something they haven’t done in more than a decade. In Boise at the Ada County courthouse, Roland Beres Idaho news six.
