ESPN opposes access limits in Miami murder trial
Key takeaways
- Thursday's motion by ESPN and the other outlets cites "the well-established presumption that pretrial proceedings and trials are open to the public and that prior restraints, like gag orders, are unconstitutional."
- The media outlets' motion argued against imposing any order that would prevent parties in the case from speaking publicly, including to the media.
- Jones, who holds the fair-trial right, does not seek closure and affirmatively opposes it," the defense motion states.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Rashaun Jones is set to be retried in the 2006 death of former teammate Bryan Pata. Courtesy of Miami Herald Paula Lavigne Jul 2, 2026, 11:47 AM ETClose Data analyst and reporter for ESPN's Enterprise and Investigative Unit. Winner, 2014 Alfred I. du Pont Columbia University Award; finalist, 2012 IRE broadcast award; winner, 2011 Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism; Emmy nominated, 2009.Multiple Authors Email Print ESPN joined two other media outlets Thursday in a motion opposing a judge's suggestion that she could close public access to proceedings in the retrial of a former Miami football player accused of killing a teammate.
The motion by ESPN, NBCUniversal Media, which owns NBC6 South Florida, and McClatchy Company, publisher of the Miami Herald, was filed in advance of a Monday hearing before Florida 11th Circuit Court Judge Cristina Miranda.
During a previous hearing, Miranda raised the possibility of restricting media access and imposing a gag order in the case of Rashaun Jones, who was arrested in 2021 and charged with the 2006 killing of Miami teammate Bryan Pata. His trial this spring ended in a hung jury.