Lori Vallow asks to be released from jail due to coronavirus and requests autopsy for exes and fifth husband’s wife
LORI Vallow has asked to be released from jail due to the coronavirus crisis, court documents show.
The accused cult mom, who is charged in connection with the disappearance of her two kids, has also asked to see autopsy reports for her ex-husbands and the late wife of her fifth spouse.
Vallow is a person of interest in at least one of those deaths, three of which are currently under investigation.
The 46-year-old was arrested and charged with multiple offenses last month, including two counts of desertion and nonsupport of her children.
The whereabouts of daughter Tylee, 17, and 7-year-old son Joshua 'JJ' are still unknown, and there is no evidence to suggest that Lori is cooperating with police on the matter.
She is currently being held in jail because she has not posted bail, which was reduced earlier last month from $5million to $1million.
Lori and her lawyer then submitted a motion to have it reduced to $10,000, and when the judge refused that request, the cult mom had him disqualified from the case.
The defense then again petitioned for that lowered amount once the new judge was seated in the case.
They are now asking that she be allowed to walk free on account of the coronavirus outbreak.
Lori's attorney, Mark Means, states in his filing that the current precautions being taken to avoid the spread of COVID-19 at her jail make working on the case difficult.
"I was required, with no attorney/client option, to the sole option of communicating with my client in the public visitor meeting room, wall of glass between attorney and client, over recorded telephone line, upon which my client was required to enter her inmate number for charges and consent to recording of said phone call prior to connection of the telephone lines," reads the defense's motion.
"In addition, that was told that the ONLY way that my client could review documents was to pass possibly sensitive documents/records by and through Detention Center Officer from the public (my side) room ...round and about... through multiple security doors to the inmate (client’s side). All of which would be out of sight of the Attorney and Client."
Means then argues: "This procedure is unreasonable and in direct violation of the Regulations, Law and Constitution of the State of Idaho and the United States of America."
Lori and Means have also submitted a discovery list in the case, asking to see multiple reports related to four recently deceased individuals.
They requested that the prosecution turn over the "toxicology reports/autopsy reports and any and all corresponding/associated documents, records, testing results, procedures used, expert reports, notes, charts, chemical analysis, expert opinions, persons involved (identifying information, role of involvement, employment title/position, education of persons) or the like regarding the autopsy of": Lori's ex-husband Chad Vallow; Lori's ex-husband Joe Ryan; Lori's brother Alex Cox; and the widow of Lori's fifth husband Chad Daybell.
The deaths of Charles and Tammy are currently being investigated in the wake of Lori and Chad's concerning behavior in recent months.
Lori and her lawyer want a trove of additional information on Charles as well, including: "investigation materials, files, records, reports, regarding Mr. Charles Vallow; emails for past two years from Mr. Vallow’s ”Gmail” email account, all social media postings, dating/romantic website information/communications, all financial records including but not limited to life insurance policy records, Chase credit accounts, UFCU credit union ; US Bank Credit Card, Chandler, Arizona Police department records, reports; All records from Mr. Charles Vallow cellular telephone and laptop and or other items/properties in the possession of the Chandler Arizona Police Department.'
There is also a request for "any and all records, recordings, documents, written evidence, photographs, videos, records, reports, text, emails, financials, computer stored/obtained records, computer forensic report of any and all electronic devices related to persons of interests: in the case."
A footnote then specifically names: