Despite opposition from attorneys on both sides of the case, Chambers County Judge Chap B. Cain III announced Friday morning that he will allow one television camera inside the courtroom for Sarah Hartsfield’s upcoming murder trial.
The camera will not be allowed to capture any of the jurors and audio recording will only be permitted during closing statements and the verdict, the judge said.
During a hearing last month, Judge Cain seemingly leaned toward allowing a camera inside, while prosecutor Mallory Vargas and defense attorney Case Darwin suggested the camera would be a disruption, possibly impacting jurors or witnesses. Darwin also expressed concern over having to sequester the jury.
OUR PREVIOUS REPORT: Attorneys don’t want cameras in courtroom for Sarah Hartsfield murder trial
The judge’s camera ruling is limited in scope compared to a request made by KPRC 2 News last month to livestream the entirety of the trial.
Attorneys for KPRC 2 News and Dateline NBC argued for camera access in a pleading filed Thursday.
“This is a trial about issues of utmost public concern—a defendant who is on trial for the murder of her fifth husband and who has been accused of other past crimes, some of which involve prior spouses or partners. All of this has been a topic of intense public interest, not only because of the crime for which Defendant is currently on trial, but also because of the many questions raised by allegations of past wrongdoing that have not been addressed in a court of law,” attorneys wrote. “The State’s assertion that the presence of media in the courtroom “can harm the balance of Justice” is wholly unsupported.”
Hartsfield, 50, has been in jail with a $2 million bond since Feb. 2023 after being indicted for the murder of her fifth husband, Joseph Hartsfield. He died due to complications of toxic effects of insulin, according to medical examiners, after his family said he was making plans to leave Sarah Hartsfield.
Investigators said she ignored an app sending alerts about his dangerously low blood sugar level and waited to call 911 after finding him unresponsive.
At the trial, prosecutors are hoping to bring up alleged crimes that date back to 1991, including a murder plot, arson, and child abuse, according to court records. Judge Cain has yet to rule on whether any of the extraneous offenses will be allowed in the murder trial.
Ex-husbands and other family members, including her children, have been subpoenaed to testify, according to records.
Darwin, who has represented Hartsfield for over a year now, has yet to make a public statement on her behalf despite multiple requests. But Hartsfield pled not guilty and in one of many messages to KPRC 2 News from jail, wrote, “If I’m guilty of anything, it’s picking horrible husbands.”
The trial could last for up to three weeks, according to court officials, and Hartsfield is expected to be dressed in street clothes when she appears before the jury. It’s not clear yet whether she’ll take the stand.
After her Texas indictment, prosecutors in Minnesota re-opened the investigation of a 2018 fatal shooting, in which Hartsfield shot her fiancé David Bragg. But since reopening the case, investigators have not provided any update about the status, and despite being on a previous witness list, it’s not clear if any of those investigators will be called to testify at the Texas murder trial.
Jury selection begins Sept. 29.
KPRC 2 News will provide daily updates from the courtroom for the duration of the murder trial.