Malvo hearing closed to public, press

By The Associated Press

11.04.02

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BALTIMORE — A federal judge has refused to allow open access to a court hearing for 17-year-old John Lee Malvo, a suspect in the sniper shootings that terrorized the Washington area.

Magistrate James K. Bredar ruled on Nov. 1 that public interest in the Washington-area sniper cases did not outweigh the suspect's right to be shielded from scrutiny as a juvenile.

The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The (Baltimore) Sun and The New York Times had filed a motion to be allowed to attend today's hearing for Malvo.

The hearing is to determine whether Malvo should be detained on federal juvenile charges related to the sniper attacks.

Bredar said the proceeding could include "embarrassing" and "delicate" testimony about Malvo’s mental health, family history and past conduct.

To release the testimony publicly would potentially stigmatize Malvo, he said.

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