Shawnee Krall

The presiding judge in the murder trial of Shawnee Krall has denied an expanded media order by a national cable network seeking to place cameras and microphones in the courtroom at the Stark County Courthouse in Dickinson.

Krall, 32, Minot, is charged with Class AA felony murder in the 2020 death of Alice Quierolo. He faces up to life imprisonment without parole if he is found guilty.

A joint objection to the network’s request was filed by state prosecutors and Krall on Wednesday. The parties wrote the request for expanded media coverage would materially interfere with both parties’ rights to a fair trial, citing the previous issues created by the inclusion of inadmissible evidence in local, statewide, and national media coverage of the trial in January, which they say made it impossible to seat a fair and impartial jury in Ward County.

“The State, its witnesses, all persons directly related to the outcome of this case, and the community of Minot have been waiting for nearly four years for resolution of this case. Granting an order expanding media coverage increases the likelihood that seated jurors learn about inadmissible evidence,” said the parties in the objection.

The attorneys asserted it was unreasonable for both sides to commit time and resources into reviewing coverage at the end of each day to determine if it is in compliance with the court’s order. The parties asserted the request flouts previously imposed technology limits, which require expanded media coverage to utilize the existing audio system in the courtroom.

Louser filed an order denying the network’s request, saying she shared the parties’ concerns. North Dakota Newspaper Association attorney Jack McDonald responded with a request for clarification following the denial, asking that the network be allowed to exercise expanded media coverage of the trial in Dickinson and to record from Zoom, if it is used, to lessen media presence in the courtroom.

The parties and the court had not responded to the second request as of Thursday afternoon.