Attorneys working the murder case of a Little Falls homeowner who shot and killed two teenage intruders on Thanksgiving Day cannot publicly release case evidence before trial, a Morrison County judge has ruled.
Judge Douglas Anderson decided last week that documents, photographs, audio recordings or other evidence disclosed in preparation for trial be viewed only by attorneys and their staffs or legal experts unless ordered by the court.
The ruling was in response to prosecutor Pete Orput's request for a protective order to keep defense attorneys from publicly releasing evidence.
Anderson did not rule on a defense request to restrict lawyers from talking about the case with the media.
Smith, 64, faces two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Nick Brady, 17, and Haile Kifer, 18.
He is accused of shooting the teens several times and leaving their bodies in his basement for a day before authorities were notified.
Richard meryhew
@datelineMN
