PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will get its chance to go before the state Court of Appeals and argue that some documents should not have been sealed in a case involving a man accused of killing two people in Quilcene.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans and Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Alvarez argued before a court commissioner on Aug. 26 that documents pertaining to jail records and some financial statements should not have been sealed by Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser.
The office now has until Oct. 5 to schedule a time on the court calender for a hearing date.
Michael J. Pierce, 34, of Quilcene will stand trial Nov. 2 on charges of killing Patrick and Janice Yarr and six other felonies related to the deaths and the burning of the Yarrs’ Boulton Farm Road home in March.
At the request of Pierce’s attorneys, Richard Davies and Mark Larrañaga, Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser sealed several documents in the case in June and in July signed an order prohibiting the county commissioners, auditor and treasurer from disclosing financial information related to the case.
In August, Verser modified the gag order to allow the county auditor to release blanket costs of the defense in the case.
So far, Jefferson County has paid out $9,735 to public defenders, experts and staff hired to assist in the defense.
Sealed documents
Sealed documents include an order for the appointment of an expert at the public expense, submitted invoices, time sheets and payment for appointed counsel to Pierce and any records regarding visits or Pierce’s activity at the Jefferson County jail.
Rosekrans argued that sealing records from the Jefferson County jail went beyond the scope of protecting Pierce’s right to a fair trial.
Rosekrans said his office is taking issue with the restrictions on the jail because he believes they are too broad.
“Does that mean if Pierce tries to escape, the jail can’t inform me of that?” Rosekrans asked.
“Or if they find correspondence in his cell pertaining to the case and let me know, then suddenly the jail violates the order.”
Rosekrans also said it was important that he knew who was making personal visits to Pierce in the jail.
“If someone gets up to testify and says they are impartial, I need to know if they have been visiting him every day in jail or putting money on his personal account,” he said.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
