City Expecting Media Frenzy for Huguely Trial

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Updated: 5:31 PM Feb 3, 2012 City Expecting Media Frenzy for Huguely Trial With jury selection just days away, the City of Charlottesville is getting ready for the media frenzy surrounding the George Huguely murder trial. Posted: 5:43 PM Feb 1, 2012 Reporter: Chris Stover Email Address: chris.stover@newsplex.com Preps for Huguely Trial

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February 1, 2012

With the start of the George Huguely murder trial just days away, Charlottesville officials are making sure they're prepared for the large media presence they're expecting next week.

Charlottesville hadn't seen anything like the media frenzy that engulfed the city in the days following the death of former University of Virginia lacrosse player Yeardley Love in May 2010, allegedly at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. Twenty-one months later, city officials are planning for a similar scene.

"It's attention to a trial by the national media that we haven't seen here before," said city spokesman Ric Barrick.

Fourth Street NW will be closed from High Street to Jefferson Street to accommodate the influx of local, regional or national media while disrupting downtown traffic as little as possible.

Wednesday, media crews were allowed inside the courtroom and overflow room to shoot file video because no cameras, digital recorders or cell phones will be allowed inside when the trial starts on Monday. And the ban on cameras extends outside the courthouse.

"Reporters will be able to leave the court when they want to, but they still can't record within that area," said Barrick.

The first three rows of seating in the circuit courtroom will be reserved for friends and family of Huguely and Love. The rest will be open to the media and the public. And since only a quarter of the media requesting access to the trial will fit inside the courtroom, an overflow room has been established one block away in the Levy building.

"We've set up a satellite center where closed circuit television will be available on a 55" TV," said Barrick.

While all the closures and restrictions may create some inconveniences for the media and the public, Barrick says it's all to ensure Huguely gets a fair trial. And that trial begins Monday with jury selection. The court is bringing in more than 160 potential jurors to fill 12 seats and have three alternates.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Dark Angel on Feb 2, 2012 at 05:20 PM

I guess that the many that have died at the hands of their significant other doesn't matter. Going another step farther the girls, men that go missing and of course lets not forget Morgan how could we that gets more publicity than any missing person and the missing we have now, we don"t even get an update. Go figure. A great disservice to other victims.

Posted by: mo Location: cville on Feb 2, 2012 at 01:57 PM

I know it's a shock that a young person of privilege would take the life of another young person of privilege. But, what about the 20 women who have died at the hands of their significant other in this area, over the last few years? Where was the media and public support for them? Sundays Progress should run a story on some of these victims.

Posted by: Dark Angel on Feb 2, 2012 at 12:26 PM

one thing to have a fair trial with the media will be another Casey Anthony trial it will definitely be on Dr. Drew Nancy Grace I don't see other murder cases in this town getting all this attention.

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