BOISE, Idaho — Mere weeks after Chad Daybell was sentenced to death for the murders of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and his current wife Lori Vallow's two kids, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, the judge has sealed much of the evidence from the trial.
In the order released on June 17, Judge Steven Boyce, said exhibits one through 97 will remain sealed to spare the victims family any further trauma.
Boyce writes the court had received multiple requests from members of the "media" asking for the evidence.
"Notably, the Court was particularly moved by several victim impact statements at sentencing expressly criticizing individuals proclaiming to be "media"? who, in the course of this case, have disrupted the lives of the families of these victims in the past and now continue their efforts to sensationalize and capitalize on this case. Some of those family members described in detail the psychological trauma they have unfairly been subjected to by the "media," simply because they had some familial relationship to the victims in this case," Boyce wrote.
However, the "media" he was referring to was not established media sources like KTVB or the Associated Press. Instead, Boyce referred to self-proclaimed media outlets and individuals.
"The Court is not here referring to established and historically recognized reporting agencies, such as the Associated Press, etc. Rather, the reference "media" pertains to "true crime" bloggers, YouTubers, Crimecon Participants, etc.," Boyce wrote.
The judge added the family's dignity and respect are best protected this way. All 97 exhibits will be sealed indefinitely.
"The above-referenced exhibits, upon balance, are to remain sealed as the interests of the victims and their family members to be spared the ongoing trauma of such sensitive or gruesome material being disseminated is not outweighed by the right of public disclosure of this evidence," Boyce wrote.
Daybell was booked into the Idaho Maximum Security Institution outside of Boise after his eight-week trial.
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