Judge Vacates Gag Order in Vance Boelter State Case

Overview

• A Hennepin County judge vacated the temporary gag order on Oct. 7, saying the continued restriction is "not presently necessary" after reviewing written filings and arguments.
• The written order tells all parties to exercise appropriate restraint in public statements and warns that the court may reissue or modify restrictions to protect trial fairness.
• The gag order had been imposed on Sept. 30 after public comments from surviving victims prompted the defense to seek limits on out‑of‑court statements.
• Judge Hoyos rescheduled the state trial to begin May 10, 2027 to allow defense review of voluminous discovery and to protect witness availability after the hearing.
• Prosecutors are pursuing state charges even though Boelter was federally sentenced to two life terms, and court filings show he has communicated through an intermediary who posts material to a Substack account.