Camera allowed in courtroom for Lori Vallow Daybell trial

PHOENIX, Arizona – Lori Vallow Daybell appeared in a Maricopa County courtroom Tuesday morning representing herself on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow.

During the proceeding, Judge Justin Beresky decided that one pool camera will be allowed during the six-week trial to provide a livestream to media outlets with a possible one-to-two-minute delay.

Opening statements for the trial are expected to begin on April 7, though Judge Beresky expressed concern Tuesday about the challenges the court could face finding an impartial jury given Vallow Daybell’s name recognition.

“We want to know if people have heard about the defendant, and whether or not they’ve heard about or formed an opinion about her or this case,” said Judge Beresky.”

“It’s been my experience that people will say they haven’t heard when they know who that really is and there are people who really want to be on this jury just for this purpose,” responded Vallow Daybell.

Judge Beresky said in the coming weeks hundreds of potential jurors will receive a “fairly basic” electronic questionnaire that will focus on qualifications, the charges, witnesses, and whether they have an opinion on Vallow Daybell’s case, and by the first week of April the jury pool will have been narrowed down.

“For the people that make it past that level we’ll question them more thoroughly in person,” said Judge Beresky.

Also discussed in court Tuesday, requests for discovery from Vallow Daybell to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for video from the Gilbert Police Department of statements made by Alex Cox, Lori’s deceased brother who claimed self-defense after shooting Charles Vallow, and Tylee Ryan, Lori’s 16-year-old daughter who was murdered by her mother in Idaho along with her 7-year-old brother JJ. Vallow Daybell also asked the judge to allow statements made by Cox and Tylee Ryan to be allowed at trial.

“What he said, and what my daughter said and what I said in those three police interviews determined what the police said, how the police acted, what they did after that, their next steps, how they treated the case,” said Vallow Daybell.

“What’s the specific statement?” said Judge Beresky.

“I shot my brother-in-law in self-defense, I got hit in the head with a bat, it was self-defense. I don’t know what all the statements are,” responded Vallow Daybell.

“In this case the defendant cannot benefit from killing a witness and then later try bring in their statements for their benefit,” stated Treena Kay, the Maricopa County Attorney.

Judge Beresky sided with the state and determined that each statement Vallow Daybell intended to present at trial would need to be reviewed before presented to the jury.

Vallow Daybell also asked Judge Beresky how she would be able to move about the courtroom as she presented her defense during trial.

“Am I going to be able to stand at the podium to talk to witnesses and question my witnesses and cross examine or am I going to be able to move about with the leg thing and shock vest and all that?” said Vallow Daybell.

“You’re going to stick to your table, and you can go to the podium. When you’re giving your opening statement and closing argument, you can stay by the podium and if you need to hand the witness the exhibit, your advisory council will do that,” said Judge Beresky.

Vallow Daybell also faces a second charge of conspiracy to commit murder in connection to a drive-by-shooting involving her former nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux, who was uninjured. The trials are being held separately, with the second trial to begin days after the first one ends.