Chad Daybell’s lawyer plans to call seven expert witnesses, trial expected to last eight weeks
Published at | Updated at
ST. ANTHONY — Chad Daybell’s attorney plans to call around seven expert witnesses during his client’s murder trial in April.
John Prior made the disclosure during a pre-trial conference in the Fremont County Courthouse Thursday morning. Prior declined to say who would be testifying, but told District Judge Steven Boyce the experts will be flying in from other states around the second week of May.
Daybell, who married Lori Vallow two weeks after his wife Tammy Daybell died in October 2019, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in relation to the deaths of Tammy and two of Lori’s kids – 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin April 1 in Ada County. Questionnaires will be mailed to potential jurors ahead of time, according to Boyce, and jury selection could take up to two weeks.
Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake told Boyce she believes the trial will take eight weeks and Prior agreed. Daybell faces the death penalty so if the jury finds him guilty, a penalty phase of the trial will begin after the verdict and jurors will decide if Daybell should be sentenced to death or life in prison.
Blake mentioned she intends to file some motions in the case within the next week so an additional hearing could be held before the trial.
Boyce is permitting livestreaming of the trial with courtroom cameras. He said all witnesses will be instructed not to view any portion of the trial before they testify.
EastIdahoNews.com will stream court proceedings daily and have a reporter in the courtroom.
