Judge extends restraining order on Idaho murder scene images following families’ lawsuit
News Team
UPDATE:
MOSCOW, Idaho (KIFI) — Latah County Judge Megan Marshall has extended a temporary restraining order that blocks the release of images, audio, and video from the bedrooms of the four University of Idaho murder victims. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by the families of two of the victims, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin. The families seek to permanently block the release of these materials.
The families appeared in court on Thursday to request a permanent injunction to prevent the public release of specific crime scene materials. The mother of Madison Mogen filed a legal motion to block the release of police body camera footage and other images that show her daughter’s body or personal belongings. The family of Ethan Chapin has filed a declaration in support of Mogen’s mother.
The families’ attorney, Leander James, stated that graphic images from inside the home were shared with a media outlet and then spread widely online. James argues that releasing these images constitutes an “unwarranted invasion into personal privacy” for both the deceased and their immediate family.
The legal action follows the Moscow Police Department’s recent release of some body camera footage from the crime’s aftermath. While all images of the victims’ bedrooms were blacked out, the families are concerned about the potential for unredacted footage to be released. City officials maintain they were simply following Idaho’s public records law and that they blurred the photos before their initial release.
The extended restraining order will remain in place as Judge Marshall takes the case under advisement.
ORIGINAL:
MOSCOW, Idaho (KIFI) — Families of two victims in the Moscow student murders are fighting to prevent the release of graphic images from the crime scene. The two families are appearing in court today to ask a Latah County judge to permanently block the release of certain images from the crime scene, according to Fox News.
The mother of Madison Mogen has filed a legal motion to block the release of police body camera footage and other images that would show her daughter’s body and personal belongings. The family of Ethan Chapin has filed a declaration in support of Mogen’s mother.
The move comes after Moscow Police released some documents, photos, and body camera footage from the aftermath of the attack earlier this month. However, all images of the victims’ bedrooms were blacked out.