Gag Order Issued In Case Against Adacia Chambers

A judge ordered the driver in the deadly OSU homecoming crash to undergo more psychiatric evaluation. 

Adacia Chambers, 25, appeared to smile at her family when she entered the courtroom at the Payne County Courthouse this afternoon. 

It was her first appearance before Logan County District Judge Louis Duel. Duel was appointed to oversee Chambers' case after Special District Judge Katherine Thomas recused herself. 

According to court records, Thomas said she knows one of the witnesses identified as a victim in the case against Chambers. 

The case was not sidelined by the change. Duel immediately went to work on the case. He ruled on several motions.

11/9/2015 Related Story: New Judge Appointed In OSU Parade Fatal Crash Trial 

The first, he ordered Chambers to be committed to the state mental facility in Vinita for additional psychiatric evaluation.  

Prior to the ruling, the defense sought a mental competency evaluation. The findings suggested she was severely ill and not competent to stand trial on murder and assault charges. 

Prosecutors allege Chambers intentionally drove her car around a police barricade and into a crowd of spectators at the OSU homecoming parade near Main Street and Hall of Fame on October 24.  As a result, four people died and 46 others were injured. 

The deadly crash has received attention from the media and other forums. So, the judge sealed all future mental and psychiatric records for Chambers.

"This shall be tried in the courtroom, not the media," Duel said as he issued a gag order. 

Defense attorney Tony Coleman argued he should be allowed 15 days to respond to the state's request to silence talks of the tragedy. 

He pointed to early allegations that Chambers was intoxicated at the time of the crash. 

"To gag us now after such reckless and irresponsible statements were made [about Chambers] would be improper," Coleman said. 

Despite the defenses argument, the judge issued the gag order and offered to hear arguments again in 15 days. 

Meanwhile, prosecutors revealed to the court that motion activated camera system at the Stillwater Police Department captured Chambers' first confidential meeting with her attorney. 

The Stillwater police apparently brought the video to the attention of prosecutors and insisted no one watched the video. The video was turned over to court Monday and will be held in a vault. It was made clear the information in that recording is privileged to only Chambers and her attorney and will not be used as evidence against her. 

Chambers is expected to be back in court on December 10 for the judge to review the findings of a state mental competency evaluation.