Chad Daybell status conference held Thursday
FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - We may get a major ruling on the Chad Daybell murder trial.
An online status conference Thursday between the legal teams on both sides became a little contentious. You can watch it below.
They discussed Tuesday, Oct. 5's hearing on a change of venue request from the defence.
Prosecutor Rob Wood agreed with the request but wants the trial held in Fremont County.
Chad Daybel's lawyer John Prior took issue with Wood's last minute written response and a motion to sequester a jury.
That would mean the jury does not go home during the trial.
John Prior says he received the document Wednesday night, putting him at a disadvantage for Tuesday's hearing, especially it if includes arguments on the sequester request.
"That 17-page brief did not take a day or two to put together," Prior said. "They've had that for a significant amount of time. And with all due respect to everybody, judge, it's a little bit of grandstanding, and it's a little bit of game playing and I don't appreciate it. So I am vehemently opposed."
"So this idea that we've been sitting on some position, or sitting on some brief, he has no right to make that accusation," Wood said. "He doesn't know what he's talking about. And I feel we have the right to address that. There's no reason to come into a court proceeding and act like that."
In the end, Judge Steven Boyce ruled the hearing will still take place on Tuesday.
He plans to hear arguments about the venue, the sequester and prior's concerns.
Daybell and Lori Vallow-Daybell were indicted in May on murder charges in connection with the deaths of Vallow's two children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow.
Daybell is also charged with the murder of his wife, Tammy, who died a few weeks before Daybell and Vallow married.
The children's disappearance became national news after Daybell and Vallow abruptly left Idaho following questioning by police about the disappearance of Tylee and JJ as well as Tammy Daybell's death.
Vallow's children were last seen on different days in September 2019. Law enforcement officials found their remains on Daybell's rural property in Fremont County nine months later.
Along with the murder charges, Daybell is charged with insurance fraud stemming from life insurance policies that allegedly paid him money after his wife's death.
Vallow is charged with grand theft for allegedly continuing to draw Social Security benefits for her children after their deaths.
Vallow-Daybell has been deemed not competent to continue with court proceedings and has been admitted to a mental health facility for treatment.
