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Judge Bars Press From Portion of Hearing in Norristown Double Murder Case

By Brad Segall

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A Montgomery County judge has barred the news media from listening to the pre-trial testimony of a witness regarding a double murder in Norristown.

Prosecutors asked the judge to close the evidence-suppression hearing and seal the testimony of a special agent from the Department of Homeland Security because it could jeopardize the safety of others and compromise ongoing investigations.

The defense joined the motion, indicating the agent's testimony, if made public, could harm the defendant -- Luckenson Desrivieres, a native of Haiti -- who is accused of murdering two people inside a rooming house in Norristown last June (see related story).

During what the judge called a "First Amendment" hearing, an attorney for the Norristown Times Herald newspaper told the court he anticipated hearing that the testimony would be a threat to national security. And not hearing that, he said, he was arguing to keep the hearing open.

The judge opted to close just the agent's portion of the suppression hearing and indicated that the testimony, depending on what it was, could be released at some point in the future.

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