FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho -- A judge in Idaho ruled Monday afternoon that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom for the preliminary hearings of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell.
Idaho state prosecutors had filed a motion to ban cameras and live streaming of the hearings in Fremont County, arguing that it could taint the proceedings and the opinions of future jurors.
Fremont County Magistrate Judge Faren Eddins based his decision on protecting the public from COVID-19 and protecting the freedom of the press.
FOX 13's parent company, Scripps Media, Inc., is one of several media outlets that jointly filed an objection to the motion. Click here to read the filing. [PDF]
The husband and wife each face two counts of destroying or concealing evidence in the disappearance of Lori's children, Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, whose bodies were found buried in the backyard of Chad’s home in Salem, Idaho.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled to begin August 3 for Chad and August 10 for Lori.
