HOFFMAN'S PARENTS WANT CLARITY ON JUDGE'S ORDER

The parents of Rachel Hoffman, the 23-year-old woman killed in May
while working as a Tallahassee police informant, have asked a circuit
judge to clarify an order that limits their ability to speak about the
case.

Irv Hoffman and Margie Weiss filed the motion Friday in 2nd Judicial
Circuit court through their attorney, Lance Block.

Two men, Deneilo Bradshaw and Andrea Green, have been charged with
armed robbery in connection with the events leading up to Hoffman's
death. A grand jury is expected to hear evidence next week to
determine whether to file first-degree murder charges.

Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker sealed pretrial evidence in the armed
robbery case after a hastily called hearing July 10. The order granted
Hoffman's parents special access to the evidence, but said they must
heed a rule regulating the Florida Bar about limiting pretrial publicity.

In his motion, Block writes that his clients aren't members of the
Florida Bar. Hoffman's parents don't mind keeping quiet about the
pretrial evidence, but they're concerned the order constrains them
from speaking about the Tallahassee Police Department's use of informants.

"They want to be able to discuss the Tallahassee Police Department,
and what happened with Rachel," said Assistant State Attorney Jackie
Fulford.

In another high-profile case, a lawyer for WCTV Eyewitness News has
filed a motion to join the Tallahassee Democrat in opposing the
potential gag order and closing of pretrial evidence in the Gary
Michael Hilton case, according to court documents.

In the motion, WCTV asks to be heard at the Aug. 1
hearing.

"Only the gravest circumstances warrant closing press access to public
proceedings and records," writes WCTV's lawyer, Elizabeth Bevington.

Hilton, 61, was indicted in February on charges of first-degree
murder, kidnapping, grand theft auto and grand theft in connection
with the December 2007 death of Crawfordville resident Cheryl Dunlap,
46.