The Region - News from April 16, 1987

San Diego Municipal Judge Frederic L. Link dismissed defense motions to exclude the press and public from the preliminary hearing for Craig Peyer, the California Highway Patrol officer charged with murdering college student Cara Knott, and to delay the hearing for two weeks, brushing aside arguments that publicity could prevent Peyer from getting a fair trial. Peyer’s lawyers have complained that some press reports about the contents of a sealed, 50-page affidavit filed by prosecutors were inaccurate, adding that even accurate reporting makes it difficult to find a jury that has not been exposed to the case. But Link disagreed. “The public,” he said, “has a right to be present . . . to judge for themselves that fairness is taking place.”