Judge denies request for cameras in the courtroom to cover coroner's criminal hearing

A judge has denied a request to allow cameras or recording equipment in the courtroom as the Cape Girardeau County coroner faces criminal charges.

KFVS anchor and media coordinator for the 32nd Circuit Kathy Sweeney had asked in March, per the rules of the court, to be allowed to record the preliminary hearing for Wavis Jordan on May 14. Jordan’s criminal defense attorney (he also faces civil litigation to remove him from office) asked the judge to not allow video coverage of the hearing.

“No person (except court personnel making an official record) shall be allowed to make an audio or video recording of the preliminary hearing,” Judge Brice Sechrest wrote in his order, dated May 9 on Missouri's online court database. “Those in the media who made the request may have a pool camera outside the courtroom in the common area of the courthouse, and may make a visual recording inside the courtroom before the start of the hearing, however, there shall be no audio or video recording during the hearing.”

In her previous filing, attorney Lynne Chambers wrote that recordings and reporting “will likely be distributed through multiple media outlets” and “may jeopardize the fair administration of justice and the rights of the Defendant.” She added, “that media coverage has the potential to sensationalize or distort information related to the case, which could influence public opinion and prejudice potential jurors.”

Jordan still holds the office but has been ordered not to perform any functions or work associated with the office. The sheriff’s office is managing the coroner’s work, with the county having hired an additional deputy coroner to handle the workload. Jordan is still being paid his full salary while he faces criminal charges and a quo warranto petition to remove him from office. He is also running for re-election.

Jordan faces three Class E felony counts relating to allegations he falsified death reports. He also faces a misdemeanor theft charge; he is alleged to have taken less than $20 from a deceased person’s wallet.

The court generally has a policy forbidding recording in the courtroom.

Jordan is alleged to have claimed three people had died of myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack) when evidence collected by police officers indicated two of the deaths were likely suicides and another an overdose. The evidence in the cases includes suicide notes, instructions for the care of the deceased person’s dog and other physical evidence. In one of those cases, Jordan told an officer he would "never forget" the suicide "due to the amount of preparation" the deceased person put into it.

In addition to Jordan, five others are also running for the office. A regular primary election will take place Tuesday, Aug. 6.