Gag-Order Hearings Delayed in Haun Case

A judge decided Thursday to postpone hearings for one day on requests for a gag order on attorneys in the case of murder suspect Diana Haun.

Municipal Judge John R. Smiley rescheduled the hearing until this morning to give prosecutors time to respond to the gag order request filed Wednesday by the deputy public defenders representing Haun.

Haun, a 35-year-old Port Hueneme deli clerk, is in Ventura County Jail on charges that she killed Sherri Dally.

The remains of Dally, 35, a Ventura mother of two, were found in a ravine north of Ventura with signs that she had been bludgeoned to death and stabbed repeatedly.

Haun appeared in court for Thursday’s brief proceedings in jailhouse blues, looking alert as she stood in the doorway of the courtroom holding cell.

But she said little, quietly answering “yes” when the judge asked if she agreed to be excused from today’s hearing. Haun’s lawyers this morning are expected to argue on their motion seeking a judge’s order forbidding Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury and his staff from discussing the case with the press.

Smiley also agreed that Presiding Superior Court Judge Robert C. Bradley should hear several defense requests that he ensure the grand jury investigation in Dally’s death is conducted properly. Smiley said that because Bradley oversees the grand juries, he should be the one to rule on defense requests that grand jury members be screened for bias that they may have picked up from pretrial publicity on the case.