Title: State v. Favreau

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

State v. Favreau (2001-418); 173 Vt. 636; 800 A.2d 472

[Filed 24-Apr-2002]

                                 ENTRY ORDER

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 2001-418

                              MARCH TERM, 2002

State of Vermont	               }	APPEALED FROM:
                                       }
                                       }
     v.	                               }	District Court of Vermont,
                                       }	Unit No. 3, Caledonia Circuit
Scott M. Favreau	               }
                                                DOCKET NO. 215-2-00 Cacr

                                                Trial Judge:  Dennis R. Pearson

             In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       Caledonian-Record Publishing Company, Inc. (Intervenor) appeals the
  district court's denial  of its motion seeking access to certain court
  proceedings and opposing a Motion to Seal certain  documents filed with the
  court.  We reverse and remand.

       In February of 2000, Scott Favreau was charged with first degree
  murder of Victoria  Campbell-Beer, his foster mother.  Tashia Beer, (FN1) a
  minor, and Ms. Campbell-Beer's step-daughter,  was identified as a
  material witness.  Also in February, the State's attorney filed a Motion 
  For Recognizance By Witness seeking an order of the court to require
  sufficient recognizance with  surety to assure Ms. Beer's future appearance
  as a witness in the prosecution of Favreau.  By  stipulation between the
  state and the witness, the motion was granted.  The court set a sum of 
  $10,000 bail or bond on Ms. Beer.  For failure to post the sum set, Ms.
  Beer was incarcerated and  held at the Woodside Juvenile Detention Center.  

       On or about August 2, 2001, Ms. Beer lodged with the court, but did
  not formally file, a  Motion To Vacate Detention Order and an accompanying
  Motion To Seal the Motion To Vacate.   On August 24, 2001, Intervenor moved
  for access to court documents, access to court proceedings,  and filed an
  opposition to the Motion To Seal.  Defendant Favreau filed an objection to
  Ms. Beer's  Motion To Seal.  On August 23, 2001, the court issued an Order
  Denying (Except As Noted) Motion  To Seal Court Records Or Filings, which
  was itself temporarily filed under seal, not to be made 

 

  public until 10:00 AM on Monday, August 27, 2001.  In its Order, the court
  ruled that certain  portions of Ms. Beer's Motion To Vacate should remain
  under seal.  Those portions were redacted  from the document released to
  the public on August 27.  The court further denied Intervenor's  Motion For
  Access To Court Documents For Access To Court Proceedings and In Opposition
  To A  Motion To Seal as moot.    

       The hearing on Ms. Beer's Motion To Vacate initially was open to the
  public.  However, after  the taking of evidence, during argument to the
  court, Ms. Beer's counsel moved to close the hearing.  The
  Caledonian-Record orally renewed its motion to intervene, which was granted
  by the court,  and  then moved in opposition to Ms. Beer's motion to close
  the court.  The court conducted an in-camera  proceeding with only the
  attorneys for the parties and counsel for Ms. Beer in attendance.  Upon his 
  return to open court, the judge ordered the courtroom closed to the public
  in order to allow Ms.  Beer's counsel to make her presentation to the
  court.  The court made no findings to justify the  closure, but stated
  simply that closure was "required under 33 V.S.A. §5523(D) and the case of
  In re  J.S., 140 Vt. 458,