Courtroom seats gone in two minutes as courthouse prepares for Daybell trial opening arguments
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BOISE — Reservations to get a seat in the courtroom for opening statements in the Lori Vallow Daybell trial were all taken in less than two minutes.
The public was able to log into an online system to reserve around 60 seats at 8 a.m. Friday. By 8:02 a.m., every seat had been claimed. A broadcast of the trial will be transmitted to an overflow room with around 200 seats in the Ada County Courthouse and a room in the Madison County Courthouse for those unable to get into the main courtroom.
Opening statements will begin Monday at 8:30 a.m. after jury selection wrapped up Friday morning. The jury pool consists of ten men and eight women, including six alternates who will not be known until deliberations begin at the end of the trial.
Fourth District Administrative District Judge Steven Hippler tells EastIdahoNews.com courthouse staff has been planning for Daybell’s trial for two years.
“We’ve been working closely with Madison and Fremont County administration and all of our partners – the court’s office, the sheriff’s office, the trial court administrators – to make sure we have the resources and bandwidth to put on a trial like this,” Hippler says.
Around 40 judges work in the Ada County Courthouse and there are 27 courtrooms. It’s one of the biggest and busiest courthouses in the state but Hippler says he has never seen an interest in a case like the Daybell trial.
Eastern Idaho media outlets and reporters from Boise television stations and newspapers have been at the courthouse every day for jury selection. Authors, podcasters, producers and journalists from KSL in Utah, People Magazine, Court TV, Law and Crime and other national organizations have also attended, along with a dozen or members of the public each day.
“I’ve certainly seen a lot of big trials and local media showing interest in those trials but in terms of the degree of national and international attention, in my ten years I’ve not seen this,” he says.
The trial is expected to last up to eight weeks. Reservations open at 8 a.m. the day before each trial date and anyone wishing to attend in the courtroom or overflow locations must reserve a spot.
EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton has been in the courtroom all week and will provide live updates throughout each day. You can read past reports, watch videos and listen to trial audio here.
