Media allowed at pretrial hearings in murder case

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - The defense attorney for a Milton-Freewater man charged with murder lost a bid to ban news reporters from pretrial hearings.

The East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton (https://is.gd/zzKDqf ) reports that attorney Dean Gushwa sought the ban to keep information from tainting the jury pool.

Judge Russell West said he’s also concerned about pretrial publicity, but the Constitution is clear.

Gushwa represents 51-year-old George West Craigen, who is accused of fatally shooting Cecil “Rob” Carter in December 2011.

The judge also denied a motion to exclude gruesome crime scene photos, and a motion limiting the victim’s family from showing emotion at trial.

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West, however, did grant a defense request to keep the jury from seeing Craigen in handcuffs or shackles.

Craigen’s trial is scheduled to start May 25.

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Information from: East Oregonian, https://www.eastoregonian.info