Sonnemon. At earlier news conference with Police Chief Tom Williams and her prosecution team.
How horrific was what the grand jury heard?
WINONA, Minn. – The chief county prosecutor, Karin Sonneman, wants grand jury documents in the Adam Fravel murder indictment kept out of public circulation. In her latest court filing, Sonneman asked the judge to seal the documents. Her concern was that the jury pool might be contaminated. Such would strengthen the pending argument by Fravel’s attorney to move the trial out of town. Fravel, 30, has been charged with slaying Maddi Fravel of Winona in 2023 and concealing her body in an area near Mabel, 40 miles away, where he grew up. In her new request to Judge Nancy Buytendorp, Sonneman suggested that the grand jury heard gruesome details that haven’t yet been released. Buyendorp will consider Sonneman’s request in open court next week. Fravel’s attorney, Thomas Braun, earlier filed a request, still pending, that the trial be relocated somewhere elsew because Winona was so saturated with news coverage during the 10-week search for Kingsbury that a “clean jury” cannot be found locally. On a related issue, Judge Buytendorp earlier denied a request by Rochester television station KKTC to cover proceedings with a camera in the courtroom. In Minnesota, both parties in a trial must consent to cameras – and Sonneman said no. Meanwhile, Fravel is in jail in lieu of $3 million in Rochester
Verbatim
Sonneman: “It is likely that there will continue to be extensive public interest and media coverage in Winona County as the case proceeds to trial. Should public access to the grand jury transcript and exhibits be allowed, the court will have no control over the manner, amount, content, and accuracy of the information consumed by potential residents of Winona County.”