Transcripts in Dally Case to Be Released

A Superior Court judge has agreed to release a second set of sealed transcripts of the Ventura County Grand Jury’s proceedings in the murder trial of Diana Haun and Michael Dally.

But Judge Frederick A. Jones told attorneys at a hearing Friday that he wants to review the single volume of testimony before releasing the document to the public.

Jones said he may censor some portions of the November 1996 proceedings to ensure that the defendants receive a fair trial.

Dally, 36, and Haun, 35, have pleaded not guilty to plotting and carrying out the kidnap-slaying of Dally’s wife, Sherri, last year.

The Ventura homemaker and day-care operator was abducted May 6 before being stabbed and beaten to death. Her skeletal remains were found June 1 in a narrow ravine north of Ventura by a search party of friends.

Dally and Haun, who had been having an affair for the last two years, were separately indicted by the grand jury.

Haun was indicted in August, and the transcripts of those closed proceedings were released by Jones last fall.

Although prosecutors sought a tandem indictment for Dally, the grand jury did not charge him until November. Transcripts of those proceedings have been sealed.

In addition to his ruling to release those transcripts, Jones indicated that he is leaning in favor of a prosecution motion to reinstate a gag order in the Dally-Haun case.

Defense attorneys made a number of comments last month after the district attorney decided to seek the death penalty against the pair, and prosecutors requested that a gag order, which had been lifted, be reimposed.

Jones agreed to postpone a ruling on the matter until a hearing Jan. 13.