US: Court declines to unseal video in shooting of Indiana judges

A man charged with shooting and wounding two judges during a fight outside an Indianapolis fast food restaurant lost a bid to have surveillance video and or evidence unsealed.

Marion Superior Criminal Court Judge Shatrese Flowers on Wednesday denied Brandon Kaiser’s motion to dismiss a protective order that sealed testimony and evidence presented last year to a grand jury.

Kaiser, 42, faces four felony counts of aggravated battery and or charges in May 1, 2019, shooting of Clark County judges Andrew ams and Br Jacobs following a fight outside a White Castle restaurant. His trial is scheduled for June 15.

Kaiser’s attorneys argued in a February court filing that he h acted in self-defense after two sourn Indiana judges approached him “in a hostile manner,” slammed him to ground, choked him, beat him and kicked him in he.

ams, who mitted to kicking Kaiser, pleed guilty in September to a misdemear count of battery but avoided jail time.

restaurant’s surveillance video of encounter has t been released publicly, although some still ims were entered into evidence as exhibits by Kaiser’s defense attorneys, who signed Tuesday’s motion seeking unsealing of testimony and evidence, Indiana Lawyer reported.

ir motion states that protective order “results in an extreme injustice to Defendant by limiting Defendant’s ability to conduct (an) independent investigation into incident, obtain witnesses in his favor, and prepare his defense.”

Marion County prosecutors opposed request, stating in a court filing that protective order doesn’t prevent Kaiser’s counsel from investigating and speaking to witnesses. Prosecutors also argued that transcripts and exhibits from grand jury proceedings have alrey been provided to Kaiser’s attorneys.