Fort Worth Star Telegram Logo

Star-Telegram asks court to keep juvenile murder hearings public | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters

    • Local
    • Fort Worth
    • Arlington
    • Northeast Tarrant
    • Texas
    • Crime & Courts
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Databases
    • Nation and World
    • Cowboys
    • Rangers
    • TCU
    • Mac Engel
    • Colleges
    • Mavericks
    • Motorsports
    • Stars
    • High School Sports
    • Scores & Schedules
    • All Sports
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Boys Basketball
    • Girls Basketball
    • Editorials
    • Letters
    • Submit a letter
    • Cheers and Jeers
    • Submit a Cheer or Jeer
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Michael Ryan
    • Cynthia M. Allen
    • Other Voices
    • Business
    • Growth
    • Restaurants
    • Arts & Culture
    • Movies
    • Things To Do
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Party Pics
    • Horoscopes
    • Comics
    • Contests
    • Puzzles and Games
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts
    • Health & Fitness
    • Indulge
    • The Keller Magazine
    • Neil Sperry
    • Social Eyes
    • Dear Abby
    • Weddings
    • Arlington Citizen-Journal
    • Keller Citizen
    • Star-Telegram Northeast
    • Mansfield News-Mirror
    • Weatherford Star-Telegram
    • La Estrella
    • Locales
    • Noticias
    • Deportes
    • Entretenimiento
    • Contáctenos
    • Media Kit
    • Today's Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Submit an Obituary

    • All Weddings
    • Announcements
    • Bridal Show
    • Contact Us
    • Inspiration
    • News & Advice
    • Vendors
    • Hispanic Heritage
    • Cancer Awareness
    • Healthy Lifestyle
    • Dining, Entertaining
    • Breast Cancer Awareness
    • Think Green
    • Money Matters
    • All About Pets
    • Careers and Business
    • Health and Wellness
    • How To...
    • Women Today
    • Family and Parenting
    • Easy Living Tips
    • Lawn and Garden
    • Giving Back
    • Men Today
    • On the Road 1
    • On the Road 2
  • Public Notices
  • Local Deals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Mobile & Apps

Fort Worth

Star-Telegram asks court to keep juvenile murder hearings public

Star-Telegram

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 29, 2014 04:56 PM

Six major media outlets in Dallas-Fort Worth joined Wednesday to file a plea in intervention in state District Judge Jean Boyd’s Tarrant County juvenile court to ask that any hearings regarding Ethan Couch be held in open court.

The motion also asks that the media outlets be given a chance to be heard if the judge considers motions to close a hearing to the public or makes a decision to do that on her own.

Boyd made national news recently for sentencing Couch, 16, to 10 years’ probation and therapy for driving drunk and causing a crash that left four people dead. She has yet to set the terms of his probation.

After the uproar, in another case involving a teenager, the judge twice barred everyone not directly connected with the case from her courtroom.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

In that case, a 17-year-old was accused of beating a 16-year-old to death with a hammer. The 17-year-old, who was a juvenile at the time of the beating, pleaded guilty.

The Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, KDFW/Channel 4, KXAS/Channel 5, WFAA/Channel 8 and KTVT/Channel 11 jointly filed a motion in Boyd’s court requesting that if she contemplates closing future hearings in the case, they be given reasonable notice of any closure motion so their arguments to keep the hearing open can be heard.

Boyd gave no reason when she closed the court in the unrelated murder trial, so the plea in intervention also requests that the court “decline any closure motion absent a showing of good cause articulated along with findings specific enough that a reviewing court can determine whether the closure order was properly entered.”

According to the Texas Family Code, if a juvenile appearing in court is under 14 at the time of the proceeding, the judge must close the hearing unless it is determined that the interests of the child and the public would be better served by allowing an open hearing.

If the defendant is older, as in the Couch case, the law states that a juvenile court hearing should be open to the public “unless the court, for good cause shown, determines that the public should be excluded.”

Jim Witt, executive editor of the Star-Telegram, said the paper filed the plea because the case was a matter of great public interest.

“Judge Boyd’s action to close her court in the unrelated murder trial gave us concern that she might take the same route in future hearings regarding Ethan Couch,” he said. “And we want to do what we can to make sure that doesn’t happen absent good reason, as the law requires.”

Related stories from Fort Worth Star Telegram

fort-worth

Juvenile judge declines to release murder case transcripts

March 20, 2014 05:26 PM

crime

Fort Worth judge declines to add jail time for Couch

February 05, 2014 07:07 PM

HOMEPAGE

Texas law allows judges to close juvenile hearings to the public

January 30, 2014 11:04 PM

HOMEPAGE

Judge doesn't certify teen as adult in hammer death

January 30, 2014 11:04 PM

HOMEPAGE

Fort Worth teen gets 26 years for killing acquaintance

January 30, 2014 11:04 PM

HOMEPAGE

Teen sentenced to 10 years probation, rehab in 4 deaths

January 30, 2014 11:04 PM

  Comments  

Videos

Fort Worth 2019 State of the City address

How the JPS elevator accident happened

View More Video

Trending Stories

Texas senator calls on GOP supporters to ‘Stop Beto’

February 20, 2019 04:03 PM

Will I-35W congestion finally be fixed? Fort Worth mayor has news for North Texas drivers

February 19, 2019 04:29 PM

Machado deal ‘great for the players.’ Did the Rangers consider a late push to land him?

February 19, 2019 02:47 PM

Want to build a home in the country? A new Texas law may block your access to water

February 19, 2019 07:00 AM

Voice on the school board for almost 30 years to leave, open the way for challengers

February 19, 2019 01:36 PM

Read Next

JPS nurse injured in elevator has been moved out of the ICU, her attorney says
Video media Created with Sketch.

Fort Worth

JPS nurse injured in elevator has been moved out of the ICU, her attorney says

By Nichole Manna

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 04:09 PM

Carren Stratford, the nurse who was seriously injured during an elevator malfunction at John Peter Smith Hospital last month, has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit, one of her attorneys said Wednesday.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE FORT WORTH

Woman suspected of robbing three banks in Arlington and Fort Worth arrested

Crime

Woman suspected of robbing three banks in Arlington and Fort Worth arrested

February 20, 2019 04:48 PM
You could stay at this new upscale hotel in Downtown Fort Worth next fall

Fort Worth

You could stay at this new upscale hotel in Downtown Fort Worth next fall

February 20, 2019 11:35 AM
Texas senator: Border wall isn’t ‘fake emergency’ and U.S. needs to move forward

Texas

Texas senator: Border wall isn’t ‘fake emergency’ and U.S. needs to move forward

February 20, 2019 03:55 PM
Father, artist, rapper killed in shooting ‘had so much potential,’ friends say

Fort Worth

Father, artist, rapper killed in shooting ‘had so much potential,’ friends say

February 20, 2019 01:11 PM
Armed suspects rob west Fort Worth hotel, but captured after traffic stop, police say

Fort Worth

Armed suspects rob west Fort Worth hotel, but captured after traffic stop, police say

February 20, 2019 07:17 AM
The trails of Mansfield: One finished, one started with another section tied up in court

Mansfield News-Mirror

The trails of Mansfield: One finished, one started with another section tied up in court

February 20, 2019 10:00 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story