Lori Vallow Daybell, the woman at the center of a series of grisly family murders, is seeking a new trial in Arizona. As reported by FOX 10 Phoenix, Daybell was found guilty earlier this month for her part in the attempted murder of her niece's ex-husband. She claimed her rights were trampled upon, citing violations of the U.S. Constitution and her Fourth Amendment rights specifically. Her health troubles during the jury selection purportedly led to a force upon her to begin trial before she was ready.
Daybell, who served as her own attorney in her trials, filed a motion delineating her arguments, as 12 News outlines. She noted an illness that delayed the trial as a key issue, which she believed compromised her ability to provide effective assistance to herself as her own counsel. Daybell argued that the trial should have waited longer due to her health, stating in her motion, "By forcing Defendant to proceed with trial as her own counsel deprived her of the right to effective assistance of counsel."
In her filing for a new trial, Daybell raised concerns over her treatment, including a lack of impartiality from the bench and challenges with procedural fairness. She describes being left unattended in a holding cell without basic necessities as exacerbating her illness. On FOX 10 Phoenix, she is reported saying she was "holding cell with no blanket, medicine, or hydration for six hours waiting for transport back to the jail." According to her, this ordeal took place just days after health services found an infection requiring antibiotics in her body.
Daybell also challenged the court’s decision to restrict certain evidence and accused the judge, Justin Beresky, of denying her the opportunity to argue objections, denying sidebars, and hampering her ability to cross-examine witnesses effectively. According to details mentioned in 12 News, she felt judicial impartiality was in question and alleged "abuse of discretion" regarding the handling of her case.
These two Arizona trials are the latest in a succession of legal battles for Daybell, who was previously convicted in Idaho for the murders of her children and her involvement in the death of her husband's former wife. Sentencing for her murder conspiracy convictions in Arizona is set for July 25, following that she is expected to be extradited back to Idaho to serve a life sentence, as per FOX 10 Phoenix.
