WAVERLY, Ohio — In an order issued on Friday, a judge in Pike County has denied a motion by several media outlets to broadcast in its entirety the first trial of Ohio’s worst homicide.
Pike County Court of Common Pleas Judge Randy Deering issued a ruling that denied a request by the Guardian, the Cincinnati Enquirer, CourtTV, Law and Crime TV, WCPO-TV, WKRC-TV, WXIX-TV, and WLWT-TV to allow the recording or audio streaming of witnesses in the trial of George Wagner IV. The media groups hired premiere first amendment right attorney Jack Greiner to represent them.
Wagner IV is charged in the 2016 killings of the Rhoden family.
Historically, courts across Ohio and the country have allowed witnesses to opt out of having their faces shown on television or in photographs when on the witness stand, and while doing so, those courts have allowed an audio-only broadcast of the testimony, which does not show the face or identity of the witness but still allows the public a chance to hear the proceedings.
The media organizations also requested the judge to allow the filming of co-defendants Angela and Jake Wagner, who have both taken plea deals in the murders of eight people. The judge denied the media’s motion saying that if the two convicted Wagners chose not to be filmed, then they will not be filmed, despite being co-defendants, and that the public will not hear their testimony or confessions.
The judge has also barred cell phones and laptops from the courtroom and issued an order saying no one may come or go from the room while court is in session. As a result, media is essentially barred from real-time reporting of the trial.
The trial will start with opening arguments on Monday. More than 250 witnesses are expected to be called and the proceedings have been estimated to last six-to-eight weeks.