A Lafayette County Circuit Court judge has denied a joint motion by attorneys on both sides to seal all pretrial filings in the capital-murder case against Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington, accused of killing University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee in 2022. The motion was filed by Rep. Kevin Horan, Herrington’s defense attorney, and District Attorney Ben Creekmore, citing concerns that public scrutiny could introduce prejudice to the trial.
However, Judge Kelly Luther ruled that sealing the filings would not guarantee a fair trial for Herrington, as most pretrial evidence is already publicly known. Luther emphasized that courts are open for a reason and that secrecy lessens the public’s trust in the process.
The case has received extensive media attention since Lee’s disappearance on July 8, 2022, with many social-media posts circulating about the investigation. Defense attorney Horan argued that this publicity could influence potential jurors and undermine Herrington’s right to a fair trial.
In response to the judge’s decision, District Attorney Creekmore said he plans to proceed with the case as usual. The defense team expressed disappointment but acknowledged that the motion was constitutional and protected by Mississippi law.
Herrington, a former UM student from Grenada, Miss., is accused of capital murder after Lee’s body has not been found. The trial has been rescheduled due to limited hotel space and juror availability during the university’s football season.
Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/judge-pretrial-files-in-jay-lee-murder-case-to-remain-unsealed