Has anyone seen this case? Article
Long story short:
Former cop (police chief?) is arrested for 43 counts of child rape, child pornography, stalking etc.
Judge lets him out on low/zero bond
Former cop goes to kidnapp one of the kids he was abusing during the night.
Kids father heard the noise, called 911, tracks down the kidnapper abusing his 14 year old daughter a truck down the road, shoots him dead
Judge charges the father with murder, seals, and gags the case
Arkansas supreme court overturns the gag and seal order
Give send go (?) of the father, his court docket
I wonder if there's way to intervene as public citizens to have them broadcast the trial...
Long story short:
Former cop (police chief?) is arrested for 43 counts of child rape, child pornography, stalking etc.
Judge lets him out on low/zero bond
Former cop goes to kidnapp one of the kids he was abusing during the night.
Kids father heard the noise, called 911, tracks down the kidnapper abusing his 14 year old daughter a truck down the road, shoots him dead
Judge charges the father with murder, seals, and gags the case
Arkansas supreme court overturns the gag and seal order
Give send go (?) of the father, his court docket
I wonder if there's way to intervene as public citizens to have them broadcast the trial...
Quote:
The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday vacated a gag order in the case of Aaron Spencer, a Lonoke County man charged with second-degree murder in the death of Michael Fosler in October. Fosler, 67 at the time of his death, had previously been arrested and charged with several sexual offenses against Spencer's teenage daughter.
Calling the Lonoke County Circuit Court's gag order in the case a "gross abuse of discretion," the Supreme Court struck the order in its entirety.
The facts of the case, which quickly drew attention inside and outside of Arkansas, are straightforward. Fosler was arrested in July and charged with 43 counts including sexual assault of a minor, internet stalking of a child, and possession of child pornography, some or all of which related to a relationship between Fosler and Spencer's then-13-year-old daughter. Circuit Judge Barbara Elmore released Fosler on bond.
Late one night in October, Spencer told police, he heard his dogs barking and went to his daughter's room to check on her. She was not there. Spencer called 911 to report her missing, then went looking for her.
A short time later, he found his daughter and Fosler in Fosler's truck, and Spencer forced the truck off the road. This led to an altercation between the men, after which Spencer called 911 again to report that he'd shot Fosler. Fosler died at the scene.
The state charged Spencer with second-degree murder plus a firearm enhancement in November. Spencer's case, like Fosler's, was assigned to Judge Elmore.
Quote:
"It appears to the Court," Elmore wrote, "that the dissemination by any means of public communication of any out-of-court statements relating to this case may interfere with the rights of the Defendant and the State of Arkansas to receive a fair and impartial trial."
Elmore then went a step further and, without being asked by either side in the case, ordered that the entire matter be sealed.
