Victims’ Families ask judge reconsider camera ban in Daybell trial

East Idaho News is reporting the families of Tammy Daybell, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan are asking the judge to reconsider allowing cameras during the trial of Chad and Lori Daybell on April 3.

Last fall, Loir Daybell’s attorneys, Jim Archibald and John Thomas, filed a motion asking that District Judge Steven Boyce remove all still and video cameras from the courtroom.

Chad Daybell’s attorney, John Prior, is in support of having cameras in the courtroom and filed a motion to allow the trial to be live-streamed. Judge Boyce ruled in favor of the ban on cameras and denied the motion to live-stream the trial.

“This is unfair. I have total respect for the judge. I admire him so far for how he’s run his court, but I think this was an ill-advised decision,” Larry Woodcock, JJ Vallow’s grandfather, told EastIdahoNews.com. “I can understand keeping the cameras out in pre-trial (hearings) but when that trial starts and those jurors are picked, it’s time for the public and the families to be able to see that.”

The prosecuting attorneys Rob Wood and Lindsey Blake also argued against cameras, but said they understand the concerns and have relayed the desires of the victims’ families to have remote access to the proceedings to the court.