Judge to allow camera in Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial; defense releases witness list

PHOENIX, Arizona — A judge will allow a camera in the courtroom during Lori Vallow Daybell’s upcoming trial in Arizona.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Justin Beresky decided during a Tuesday hearing and said one pool camera will be allowed to provide a livestream to media outlets with a possible 1- to 2-minute delay.

Daybell, who is representing herself with legal advisors, expressed concerns over having a camera in the courtroom.

“We want to make sure the cameras aren’t going to be zooming in at any level to our notes or the things that are going to be on our table,” she said. “What has happened before is they just have the camera on my face the entire trial. I think when the judge is speaking, the judge needs to be on the camera. When the state is speaking, they need to be on camera.”

Beresky said he will issue a written order with specific guidelines in the coming days.

Daybell faces two charges of conspiracy to commit murder in connection to her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and her former nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux. The trials will be held separately, with jury selection in Charles Vallow’s case scheduled to begin at the end of the month.

Beresky explained that 200 potential jurors living in Maricopa County will soon receive electronic questionnaires. The defense and prosecution will review the responses and eliminate jurors who don’t qualify to serve. Additional questionnaires could be sent out if needed and final candidates will be questioned at the courthouse during the first week of April.

According to Beresky, twelve jurors will be picked, with three to four alternates. Opening statements are expected to begin April 7; the trial could last up to six weeks.

Other motions were heard during Tuesday’s hearing, including a request from Daybell for her videotaped interview with detectives after Vallow was killed. She also wants video of police interviewing her daughter, Tylee Ryan, and friend, Melanie Gibb. Prosecuting attorney Treena Kay said those videos had been provided to Daybell, but she would double-check to make sure.

Beresky also discussed a trial date for the charges involving the Boudreaux case, but nothing was finalized. Kay said prosecutors will need around three weeks for that trial.

The hearing on Tuesday comes a few days after Daybell released a list of witnesses she intends to call in the first case, including herself, her sister Summer Shiflet, her brother Adam Cox, and EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton. As of Tuesday, Eaton had not been served with a subpoena.

Watch Tuesday’s hearing in the video player below: