Guide Contents
Credits: Thank You
What To Expect While The Case Is Pending
What To Expect ~
Page 2
Postponements/Delays

Your advocate will notify you of all court dates and appearances, and inform you of cancellations and postponements, which could come as late as the day of the scheduled court proceeding. While your advocate will do his best to notify you of such delays promptly, it is advisable, particularly if you have to travel or take time off from work, that you telephone your advocate or the District Attorney's Office late in the day before the scheduled proceeding, and again before leaving home on the day of the proceeding, to confirm that it is still set to take place at the arranged time.
As disappointing as last-minute postponements are, unexpected developments ranging from the discovery of additional evidence to the unavailability of a crucial participant in the proceedings (judge, defense attorney, prosecutor, witnesses, etc.) are sometimes unavoidable. Murder is a serious charge, and the prosecution of such cases is a complex, time-consuming, and detailed process. While knowing the reasons for delays may not be much comfort to you, circumstances similar to those described above are usually out of the control of the prosecutor, who quite often finds them nearly as frustrating as you do.
Dealing With The Media

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your loved one's murder, you may find the media eager to report on the details of the crime. You may experience anything from having a reporter call your home to encredulously ask what you would like to see happen to the person responsible for the death of your loved one, to returning home to find members of the media waiting in front of your home, or even showing up at the funeral. The media, under the guise of reporting the news, has also been known to use deceptive measures to acquire information from families of homicide victims.
Only hours after the murder and minutes after returning home from making funeral arrangements, one mother received a telephone call from an individual who purposely misled her regarding his identity by falsely claining to need more information for the victim's obituary. As the conversation progressed, she discovered that it was actually a reporter who was seeking additional detail about the murder and her family's reaction to it. While you may be spared from such occurrences, for those who are not, this type of insensitive violation of privacy causes additional stress and anxiety and only serves to compound the trauma of the murder.

If you decide to talk with the media, you should be thoughtful and choose your words carefully. In order to avoid saying anything which might have a negative effect on the case, you should consult with the prosecuting attorney before releasing any information to the media. You should be especially cautious when talking to newspaper reporters who often fail to print exactly what you say in the context in which it is said. Remember, what you do not say cannot be misinterpreted or used to compromise the state's case against the defendant.
In certain circumstances, granting interviews before the trial may encourage the defense attorney to file a motion for a change of venue (location) of the trial out of concern that pre-trial publicity will make it impossible for an impartial jury to be selected. Therefore, it is often best to wait until after the trial before speaking to newspaper or television reporters.
A trial is an open public process, and anyone can come to observe the proceedings. Thus, you cannot prevent media presence in the courtroom. You can, however, avoid a certain degree of unwanted intrusiveness on the part of the media by appointing one family member or a friend to act as a spokesperson on behalf of your family. If you prefer, you may inform your advocate that you do not wish to make a public statement and he will notify the media that you do not wish to comment on the case. You are under no obligation to speak to reporters at any time throughout the proceedings. Whether or not you decide to grant an interview is entirely up to you. This is one area in which you have a certain measure of control, and the right to say "NO".