Judge Denies Gag Order in Dragging-Death Case

A U.S. district court judge refused to approve a gag order in the case of a man charged with slaying his girlfriend by dragging her to death behind a vehicle.

Defense lawyers requested the order, claiming that the heavy publicity behind the case could prevent the defendant from having a fair trial.

While Judge Paul King requested that the court and law enforcement officials abide by the current guidelines regarding publicity, he did not impose any additional rules.

Thirty-six-year-old Mexican immigrant Jose Luis Rubi-Nava has been accused of kidnapping and murdering his girlfriend Luz Marie Franco Fierros, 49. According to investigators, Rubi-Nava allegedly tied his girlfriend to the back of a vehicle and dragged her body for over a mile.

The results of an initial autopsy report found that Franco Fierros died of head injuries and asphyxiation from being strangled while her body was dragged.

In requesting a gag order—news blackout—defense lawyer Tamara Brady cited a September speech made by Tom Tancredo, a republican representative, which was aired on C-SPAN.

The Rubi-Nava case was mentioned as Brady described the U.S. border control issues, causing a media hype about the case.

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