In a courtroom saga that continues to capture public attention, Lori Vallow Daybell, dubbed the "Doomsday Mom," will have her trial in Arizona broadcasted after a recent court ruling, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Justin Beresky will allow one pool camera to livestream the proceedings with a short delay, according to KSL.com. The decision comes despite protests from Daybell, who is representing herself with legal advisors, over the potential for cameras to invade her privacy and compromise her fair trial rights.
During the court proceedings on March 11, Daybell expressed her particular unease with cameras: "We want to make sure the cameras aren't going to be zooming in at any level to our notes or the things that are going to be on our table," she said. Vallow Daybell's disquiet was attributed to past instances where "they just have the camera on my face the entire trial." These words were reflected in an earlier hearing, where a judge heard multiple arguments on this matter, with Vallow Daybell lamenting Court TV's past coverage, as she believed it had "falsely characterized, libeled and slandered" her and her husband, Chad Daybell, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Jury selection for the trial is slated to begin at the end of the month, with an electronic questionnaire being sent out to 200 potential jurors in Maricopa County, the responses to which will be carefully scrutinized by both the defense and the prosecution to whittle down a qualified pool. Beresky has planned for the selection of 12 jurors, with three to four alternates, anticipating opening statements to commence on April 7, the trial could extend for up to six weeks, KSL.com details.
Beresky has also ensured that Vallow Daybell's name will feature in the e-questionnaire, which aims to filter out individuals who are already familiar with the case. "We want to know if people have heard about the defendant, and whether or not they’ve formed an opinion or not on this case," Beresky stated. Concerning this, Vallow Daybell voiced skepticism about potential jurors' honesty, saying, "It’s been my experience that people will say they haven't heard when they know who that really is, and there’s people who will want to be on this jury just for this purpose." This and other interactions are detailed by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Daybell faces serious charges, including two counts of conspiracy to murder in the deaths of her previous husband, Charles Vallow, and her ex-nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux. These proceedings come after her conviction and sentencing in Idaho for the murders of Tylee Ryan and Joshua "JJ" Vallow, as well as the death of Tammy Daybell, Chad Daybell's first wife, for whom he received the death sentence.
