By LAUREN SILVER and IVY BROWN
BOISE, Idaho (Court TV) — Attorneys representing accused cult leader Chad Daybell were expected to appear in court Thursday to argue motions ahead of their client’s scheduled murder trial in 2024.
FILE – Chad Daybell sits during a court hearing on Aug. 4, 2020, in St. Anthony, Idaho. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP, Pool, File)
Minutes before the hearing was scheduled to take place, a court official told Court TV it had been vacated. The hearing was expected to cover a request by Chad’s attorneys for all transcripts and exhibits from his wife’s trial, Lori Vallow Daybell.
On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a document noting that they do not oppose Chad’s request for Lori’s trial transcripts.
LISTEN: Testimony from ID v. Lori Vallow Daybell
Chad is charged with conspiracy and murder in the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, as well as the two youngest children of his second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. Lori was convicted of conspiracy and murder for Tammy and her children after the two cases were severed last year.
After deliberating for several hours over two days, a jury convicted Lori in a trial that featured 59 witnesses called to the stand over five weeks. While Lori and Chad’s cases had been severed, Chad’s name was constantly brought up during the trial. Evidence in the case included Chad’s writing about the couple’s romance as well as texts and phone calls between the two.
An attorney representing Chad attended each day of Lori’s trial, though Chad was never called to the stand to testify.
Chad faces the death penalty if convicted. His trial is scheduled to start on April 1, 2024.
