Constitutional Law

Judge expands gag order in UConn player stabbing case

By By The Associated Press

VERNON, Conn. ? A judge has expanded a gag order he imposed in the case of the fatal stabbing of a University of Connecticut football player.

Superior Court Judge Edward Mullarkey said on Nov. 5 that all defendants in the case can't speak about it.

The order follows Mullarkey's directive last month for the lawyers in the case to stop talking to reporters.

Mullarkey said he was concerned about finding an impartial jury in the small district, where many residents are associated with the university.

John W. Lomax III is accused of stabbing Jasper Howard to death in October 2009 after Lomax got into a dispute with a group of UConn football players, including Howard.

Lomax, 22, has said he didn't stab Howard; he is scheduled to go to trial in January.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on November 07, 2010 (boomark / email).