Today, the City of Charlottesville released its 17-page media plan for coverage of the trial of George Huguely, the former UVA Lacrosse player charged with murdering fellow student and former girlfriend Yeardley Love. A defense attorney for Huguely previously characterized the media culture surrounding the case as "invasive." Now, the word "competitive" also comes to mind.
The Charlottesville Circuit Court’s largest courtroom holds 200 people, plus court personnel. Here’s how the seats break down for Huguely’s trial, slated for February 5-17.
Sheriff Personnel: Confidential
Victims and Family Members: 25
Media: 20
Sketch Artists: 4
General Public: 80
Media Liaison: 2
Total: 130+
Twenty Courtroom Day Passes will be offered each day of the trial, with priority given to media that covered Huguely’s pre-trial hearings—a move that will likely palce more local media inside the courtroom. Day passes will be color-coded and changed each day.
The city also asked reporters to conduct interviews with trial participants in a designated area outside the court’s entrance. However, attorneys for both sides have not commented publicly about the case and did not immediately return requests for a comment on whether they would change policy in February.