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Judge setting stage for trial of Kalispell woman

Jesse Davis | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years AGO
by Jesse Davis
| November 13, 2013 8:01 PM

The judge in the murder case against Jordan Graham of Kalispell issued several orders in the case Wednesday.

Graham is accused of pushing her new husband, Cody Johnson, off a cliff in the area of The Loop in Glacier National Park. She is charged with both first-degree and second-degree murder as well as with making false statements.

In his Tuesday orders, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy set trial rules, approved what kind of technology the defense can and cannot have and use in the courtroom and defined the process for numbering jurors.

He also approved the prosecution’s request to file an attachment to their motion for a continuance of the trial under seal.

Prosecutors are asking for the continuance to gain enough time to receive results of DNA testing of a piece of cloth with which they believe Graham may have blindfolded Johnson, as well as to deal with court issues relating to defense filings.

 It is unknown if the sealed attachment includes more information about the recently revealed blindfold theory.

In one order, Molloy set a deadline of noon on Friday for both sides to file responses to all the pending motions.

He also canceled an evidentiary hearing scheduled at 11 a.m. Friday at the Russell Smith Courthouse in Missoula, replacing it with a status hearing at 9 a.m.

During the hearing, according to a scheduling order, the court will address juror procedure and the defense and prosecution will argue and present testimony or other evidence in support of pending motions.

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