State v. Rocha

¶1 This court granted interlocutory review of this aggravated first degree murder prosecution to determine if the public’s right to open court proceedings was violated when the trial court considered information in a *835closed hearing that ultimately led the court to recuse. We conclude that the public right to open justice did not extend to the conveyance of information to a judge where there was not also a motion or request for recusal.

FACTS

¶2 Respondent Michael Rocha is one of two defendants separately charged with aggravated first degree murder in Grant County Superior Court for the killing…