Details of Motion to Bar Media from Garza's Murder Trial
By: Melissa Foy
Updated: January 4, 2013
A hearing for a murder suspect who lunged at one of our photographers was postponed this week, and no ruling has yet been made on a defense motion to exclude the media and public from all future hearings.
Jerry Joe Garza is charged with the murder of 32-year-old Monica Partida, a Wichita Falls mother of three.
Her body was found inside her home in 13-hundred block of Britain last February.
We obtained a copy of the motion to bar the media and public, which defense attorneys say they filed to safeguard Garza's right to a fair trial.
The motion claims media sources reported "unreliable and inflammatory news stories."
In Garza's last hearing, defense attorneys attempted to obtain a court order seizing our the memory card containing video of Garza's confrontation with our photographer.
The motion claims the broadcast of the video will make it difficult to get a fair jury for the trial.
It states Garza became agitated by the media coverage, which is why he acted out, and goes on to say he feels the court and attorneys are working with the media to put his hearings on tv.
And it also states closing the hearings is necessary to preserve order.
Garza's next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 17.
Jerry Joe Garza is charged with the murder of 32-year-old Monica Partida, a Wichita Falls mother of three.
Her body was found inside her home in 13-hundred block of Britain last February.
We obtained a copy of the motion to bar the media and public, which defense attorneys say they filed to safeguard Garza's right to a fair trial.
The motion claims media sources reported "unreliable and inflammatory news stories."
In Garza's last hearing, defense attorneys attempted to obtain a court order seizing our the memory card containing video of Garza's confrontation with our photographer.
The motion claims the broadcast of the video will make it difficult to get a fair jury for the trial.
It states Garza became agitated by the media coverage, which is why he acted out, and goes on to say he feels the court and attorneys are working with the media to put his hearings on tv.
And it also states closing the hearings is necessary to preserve order.
Garza's next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 17.
