Citing intense media coverage, a Hamilton County criminal judge this morning ruled that the jury will be sequestered when a young man accused of vehicular homicide goes on trial in November.

Steven Tyler Frizzell, 20, is charged with vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from a Memorial Day 2007 crash that killed one and severely injured two others.

The spotlight on his case became intense when, while out on bond last fall, authorities caught Mr. Frizzell trying to buy beer. Judge Don Poole at that time increased his bond amount to $200,000, which put Mr. Frizzell back in jail.

The attention only increased this past summer when an unexpected fire alarm in Hamilton County’s criminal courthouse forced the evacuation of the entire building on the day Mr. Frizzell’s trial was to start. Judge Poole delayed the trial until Nov. 1 amid worries that the jury pool might have been tainted while standing outside among the general public.

The prosecution opposed sequestering the jury during the hearing today, pointing out that jury sequestration is usually reserved for only the most serious cases of homicide where the death penalty is on the table.

Judge Poole granted the defense’s request, however, stating that jurors should be sequestered “out of a sense of precaution.”

See tomorrow’s Times Free Press for complete details.

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