'Doomsday cult mom' asks court to ban cameras from upcoming murder trial
Convicted killer and so-called "doomsday cult mom" Lori Vallow is asking the court to restrict media access in her upcoming Arizona murder trial, citing claims of defamation and misleading coverage.
Vallow, who is representing herself, filed an objection with the Maricopa County Superior Court last month asking the judge to block Court TV from streaming the proceedings as she faces a second set of murder charges.
"Court TV should be ashamed of its very nature and its request, since its sole objective is NOT to bring people real news or facts but instead its objective is to entertain the public with the very true-life tragedies that happen in real people's lives," Vallow, who has already been convicted of killing her two children and her husband's ex-wife, wrote in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Lori Vallow Trial: 'Cult Mom' Sentenced In Murders Of Two Of Her Children, Husband's First Wife
Vallow went on to claim that Court TV is using her and her husband Chad Daybell's images in commercials for the channel, alleging the depictions have "falsely characterized, libeled, and slandered" the couple. Daybell has been sentenced to death in Idaho for his role in the slayings of J.J. Vallow, Tylee Ryan and Tammy Daybell.
"This gives [Vallow] a tremendous amount of control over the case, and she has little to lose, since she's already been sentenced to life in prison in Idaho," Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based attorney, told Fox News Digital. "She may be intending to turn this case into a three-ring circus, and the best way to do that is by representing herself."
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Since the infamous trial of OJ Simpson, judges may have a stronger personal opinion of allowing cameras into courtrooms and fear it could do more harm than good for the proceedings, according to Stoltmann.
"There's a philosophical belief that it's good for the public to see the judicial process in action," Stoltmann said. "There are also legitimate concerns that it tends to turn the attorneys and witnesses into actors who play up to the camera, which is typically not in the defendant's best interest."
Court TV did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The network previously streamed pre-trial proceedings for Vallow's upcoming case, titling the coverage "ID v. Lori Vallow Daybell: Doomsday Cult Mom Trial."
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The objection comes as Vallow gears up for her second trial. In 2021, a grand jury indicted her on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and attempted murder of her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.
"Being her own attorney likely gives her a better chance of an ineffective-counsel argument on appeal, assuming she loses," Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. "She might be thinking it also gives her the best chance to win, because the jurors can hear from her without her actually having to testify and therefore be subject to cross-examination by the prosecutors."
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Vallow was extradited to Arizona in November 2023 and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Charles Vallow was allegedly shot by Lori Vallow's brother, Alex Cox, in what was originally believed to be self-defense in 2019. Months later, Cox died of an apparent blood clot. Prosecutors allege the siblings also conspired to murder Boudreaux in what eventually became a series of cult-fueled killings orchestrated by Vallow.
Idaho Judge In Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell Murder Cases Bars Cameras From Courtroom: 'A Great Risk'
Last year, Idaho jurors found Vallow and Daybell guilty of murdering Vallow's two youngest children and Daybell's former wife, Tammy Daybell. The remains of seven-year-old Joshua "J.J." Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan were found buried on Daybell's Idaho property following a months-long search, during which Vallow and Daybell jetted off to get married in Hawaii.
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Vallow was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the three murders and has since filed an appeal of the conviction.
At sentencing, Fremont County District Judge Steven Boyce told Vallow, "You had so many other options. You chose the most evil and destructive path possible. I don't think to this day you have any remorse for the effort and heartache you caused."
'Doomsday Mom' Lori Vallow Granted Mental Health Exam Ahead Of Second Murder Trial
Boyce went on to acknowledge a February 2023 psychiatric diagnosis indicating Vallow's numerous "mental health issues," citing "delusional disorder" mixed with "hyper-religiosity" and a "continuous and unspecified personality disorder" along with narcissistic features.
An Arizona judge granted Vallow's request for a mental competency evaluation, following a previous diagnosis stemming from her initial murder trial. She was ultimately deemed mentally competent to stand trial last year.
Vallow will be tried separately for the death of Boudreaux, with her trial relating to the alleged murder of Charles Vallow scheduled to begin on March 31.
Fox News Digital's Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. Original article source: 'Doomsday cult mom' asks court to ban cameras from upcoming murder trial
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