Opinion ID: 1776282
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Factual Background and Proceedings in the Circuit Court

Text: In November 1986, Shep Wilson, Jr., was convicted in the Talladega County Circuit Court of kidnapping, rape, and murder, and was sentenced to death. This Court reversed that conviction and remanded the cause for a new trial, because the prosecutor, in his closing arguments to the jury, had made a direct comment on [Wilson's] failure to testify, Ex parte Wilson, 571 So.2d 1251, 1265 (Ala.1990). The case is now awaiting retrial in the Talladega County Circuit Court. On February 14, 1991, Wilson filed a Motion to Seal File and for Closure of All Proceedings Prior to Jury Sequestration. Employees of the Daily Home were served with a copy of the closure motion, and Consolidated's lawyers attended the hearing on that motion. At the hearing on the closure motion, Wilson offered in support of his motion a catalog of Daily Home articles; the testimony of Charles Osborne, the Daily Home's circulation manager; and the testimony of Janice Keith, the Daily Home's news editor. The trial court orally granted the motion at the end of the hearing. Consolidated moved to vacate the trial court's order, and after argument on Consolidated's motion to vacate, the trial court entered a written order, which stated in pertinent part: [T]his Court finds: A. That this case has been attended by massive publicity as revealed in defendant's exhibit I. B. That the press has repeatedly shown that, given the opportunity, it will publish details of the evidence, including evidence that could not be admitted at trial; C. That if the press were allowed to attend the pretrial hearings, it would publish the details, thus making it difficult to find jurors who were not aware of the evidence prior to trial. D. That there is a substantial probability that the defendant Wilson's right to a fair trial will be prejudiced without enforcement of the closure order and the sealing of the file. E. That there are available no reasonable less restrictive alternatives to closure that would adequately protect the defendant's right to a fair trial. The Court's attempt for voluntary restraint was rejected. F. That there is a substantial probability that enforcement of the closure order and the seal of file will enhance de facto and de jure enjoyment of the constitutional rights defendant Wilson invokes. WHEREFORE, IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that this Court finds defendant's aforementioned motion to be necessary and appropriate and it is therefore ordered that all pretrial hearings in this trial of this defendant, Shep Wilson, Jr., shall be closed to the public, print and electronic media until the jury is selected. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the case file, Number CC-86-093.02 shall be sealed and closed to the public, print and electronic media until the jury is selected. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this order of closure and order to seal the file is subject to continuing review by this Court to insure that this infringement on the rights of the press and media shall be kept to an absolute minimum. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this closure order and order to seal file shall expire on its own force once the jury to be selected for the defendant's capital murder trial has been impanelled and sequestered. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a full and complete record of all proceedings of any sort or nature whatsoever conducted under the closure order shall be kept and maintained and said record shall be made available to print and media [sic], provided a transcript is prepared by the court reporter, once defendant Wilson's trial has commenced and the jury has been impanelled and sequestered. .... The Court does not take lightly this high duty cast upon it by the unique and compelling facts and circumstances of this case and the Court enters the extreme measures as set out in the foregoing order with full understanding and respect for the constitutional protection of the press and the right of the press and the general public of access to criminal trials.