Jesse Matthew can't stop comments, colors, and cuffs

At his first hearing on pre-trial motions, the man charged with capital murder in the death of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham lost nearly all of his 12 procedural motions. Hawes Spencer reports.

Jesse Matthew was defeated on everything from a request for a gag order on police comments to a call to be freed from shackles and prison jumpsuits at his pre-trial hearings.

"I was shocked."

That was family friend Maxine Holland, but setbacks to the defense were no shock to legal analyst Scott Goodman.

"They're asking for things in large part that aren't authorized by law."

Matthew's lawyers were able to persuade the prosecution to let him wear street clothes in front of a jury. And in the middle of Thursday's hearing, Judge Cheryl Higgins got two deputies to remove the so-called "belly chain" linked to handcuffs that was preventing Matthew from jotting notes.

"Hannah Graham's favorite color was orange."

That was Gil Harringon, the mother of Morgan Harrington, another slain student. She sat in the front row and hailed another ruling by the judge, who refused to ban spectators from sporting badges, pins, and colorful clothing.

Says the analyst: "It was just a rough day for the defense."

For WCVE News, Hawes Spencer in Charlottesville.

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Photo: Gil Harrington, mother of a slain Virginia Tech student, wore orange to Thursday's hearing in memory of Hannah Graham.