WASHINGTON — The defense attorneys representing a Charlottesville man charged with the murder of a University of Virginia sophomore filed a series of mostly routine pretrial motions this week, according to a Charlottesville TV station.
Attorneys for Jesse Matthew filed the 12 motions in Albemarle County court Wednesday. They request that the judge limit what lawyers and investigators can say publicly about the highly publicized case ahead of the trial, among other motions, NBC 29 reports.
Mathew is charged with the capital murder of Hannah Graham, of Fairfax County, who disappeared from downtown Charlottesville in September 2014 and was found at an abandoned property in southern Albemarle County several weeks later. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.
Mathew’s new team of lawyers, who were appointed in May and have experience with capital cases, also request that Matthew not be shackled in public and that he wear his own personal clothes while in court.
To date, Matthew has been seen only wearing a green jumpsuit or prisoner’s uniform during court appearances.
Other motions deal with evidence retention and the defense’s access to evidence and witnesses including any evidence or facts the prosecution might present during the sentencing phase of the trial. The motions also invoke Mathew’s right to not testify or speak with investigators.
A hearing to consider pretrial motions is set for August 20. His trial date has been set for next July.
