NEWSPAPERS, FAMILY FILE MOTIONS IN HOFFMAN CASE

The Tallahassee Democrat is seeking the release of previously sealed
pretrial evidence in the murder cases against Deneilo Bradshaw and
Andrea Green.

Bradshaw was found guilty last week of the murder of police informant
Rachel Hoffman in a botched May 2008 drug-sting operation and was
sentenced to life in prison. His defense team plans to appeal the
verdict within the next 30 days.

Andrea Green, his stepbrother-in-law, faces trial in October for
Hoffman's death.

In August 2008, Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker ordered that pretrial
evidence in the cases against both men be sealed in an effort to
ensure an unbiased jury could be chosen in Leon County. Her order was
to end after jurors in the trials were sequestered to deliberate on a
verdict.

At the time of Dekker's order, the cases were moving along at the same
time. This fall, however, Bradshaw requested a speedy trial. A jury of
12 men and women and three alternates was chosen for his trial this
month out of a pool of 207 people in three days.

"The Tallahassee Democrat would never suggest the Bradshaw trial was
'easy;' far from it," the newspaper's motion reads. "Yet, to
observers, the process was extremely smooth and the dire predictions
about the danger from pretrial publicity do not appear to have
seriously materialized."

A hearing before Circuit Judge Mark Walker, who inherited the cases
from Dekker when she moved to cover cases in Gadsden County, is
expected to be held Wednesday. The Tampa Tribune has joined the
Democrat on the motions. Hoffman was from nearby Palm Harbor.

A motion by Hoffman's parents also seeking the release of documents to
them only if necessary "" including depositions in Bradshaw's case
and the medical examiner's report "" was filed late Monday. Irv
Hoffman and Margie Weiss have filed a wrongful death suit against the
city of Tallahassee for the police department's role in their only
daughter's death. That motion will also be heard Wednesday morning.

In the motions filed by the newspapers Monday, the Democrat argued it
is entitled to materials presented as evidence in Bradshaw's trial as
well as other discovery items exchanged between the state and defense
as part of the case.

The newspaper acknowledges that pretrial evidence relating only to
Green's case would remain sealed under Dekker's original order.
However, it contends that discovery material that relates to both
Green and Bradshaw should be made public.

State prosecutors have said they do not oppose the information
release. The motions pertaining to Green are expected to be challenged
by his public defenders.