Lori Vallow Daybell, convicted murderer and self-proclaimed prophet, is gearing up for another courtroom battle, this time in Arizona. And in true Vallow fashion, she’s already trying to control the narrative. Representing herself, she’s filed an objection with the Maricopa County Superior Court, demanding that Court TV be banned from streaming the proceedings. Her reasoning? She claims the network is profiting off her tragedy and misrepresenting her in their coverage.

Now, let’s be clear—Court TV is in the business of true crime entertainment. That’s not exactly breaking news. But Vallow’s sudden concern for journalistic integrity is ironic, to say the least, considering she’s been at the center of a twisted saga of deception, manipulation, and murder.

Vallow alleges that the network has used her and her husband, Chad Daybell, in promotional materials that have "falsely characterized, libeled, and slandered" them. That’s quite a claim coming from someone who has already been convicted of killing two of her own children, along with her husband's first wife. Daybell, for his part, has been sentenced to death in Idaho for his role in those murders.

Chicago-based attorney Andrew Stoltmann sees right through her play. He believes Vallow is setting the stage for a circus—one where she’s the ringleader. By representing herself, she gains control over courtroom theatrics, with little to lose since she’s already serving a life sentence in Idaho. And if things don’t go her way? Self-representation could set her up for an ineffective counsel argument on appeal.

This latest trial stems from a 2021 indictment, in which a grand jury in Arizona charged Vallow with conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and attempted murder of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux. Prosecutors say Charles was shot and killed by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, in 2019 in what was initially deemed self-defense. But as the bodies started piling up around Lori, investigators took another look. Cox, who conveniently died of an apparent blood clot months later, was also accused of conspiring with his sister in the attempted murder of Boudreaux.

It’s all part of a tangled web of so-called "doomsday" beliefs, where Vallow and Daybell convinced themselves—and a select group of followers—that they were chosen by God to prepare for the end times. And in their twisted version of righteousness, getting rid of “dark spirits” meant eliminating people who stood in their way.

Of course, the public fascination with this case exploded when the bodies of seven-year-old J.J. Vallow and sixteen-year-old Tylee Ryan were found buried on Daybell’s property in 2020. The children had been missing for months while Vallow and Daybell were off in Hawaii, seemingly unbothered. When authorities finally caught up with them, the excuses were endless. But by the time the trial rolled around, it was clear that no amount of religious justification could explain away the horrors uncovered in Idaho.

A jury convicted Vallow on all counts, and in July 2023, she was sentenced to life in prison without parole. At her sentencing, Judge Steven Boyce didn’t hold back. He told Vallow, "You had so many other options. You chose the most evil and destructive path possible." Prosecutors and experts alike have pointed to Vallow’s psychiatric evaluations, which diagnosed her with delusional disorder, hyper-religiosity, and narcissistic tendencies. But none of it was enough to declare her legally insane.

Now, as she prepares for her Arizona trial, Vallow has once again been granted a mental health evaluation. But if history is any indicator, she will likely be deemed competent to stand trial—meaning the next chapter of this saga is set to unfold in court on March 31.

Despite her best efforts, cameras have been a fixture in this case from the beginning, and this time will likely be no different. Judges have weighed the pros and cons of public trials since O.J. Simpson’s infamous courtroom spectacle, and while some believe transparency is key, others argue that it turns legal proceedings into a performance. If anyone’s likely to take advantage of that, it’s Lori Vallow.

Whether or not Court TV gets its live feed, one thing is certain—Vallow’s fight for control won’t stop here.

#LoriDaybell #TrueCrime #CourtTV #MurderTrial

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