Mortimer Attorney Asks for Closed Courtroom

The walk Thomas Mortimer IV took from the doorway of the courtroom to the seat next to his defense attorney exceeded the length of time of

Mortimer’s attorney, Denise Regan, requested the courtroom be cleared and the information in the hearing be impounded. It was a motion with which Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Lynch disagreed with.

“There are no grounds to impound,” she said. “There is no reason for these pleadings to be impounded. The public has a right to know the court’s proceedings.”

Mortimer of his mother-in-law, Ellen Ragna Stone, 64; his wife, Laura Stone Mortimer, 41; his daughter, Charlotte Mortimer, 2; and his son, Thomas “Finn” Mortimer V, 4.

Regan filed a .

According to Regan, she is requesting a closed hearing for the motion because she does not want to disclose certain information to the public.

When asked if it had to do with a mental health defense for Mortimer, Regan had no comment.

“I can’t say at this point,” she said.

Middlesex Superior Judge Julia Kern continued the hearing until Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. because Regan did not give enough notice to the public and members of the press of her intention to impound the motion.

“You have to give notice for the interest of the press,” Kern said. “You have to give them notice so that they can have the opportunity to address the court and object to the impounding order.”