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(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Attorneys for Brian David Mitchell, the suspect accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart, say they won't pursue their fight over competency hearings with the Utah Supreme Court.
That's according to Salt Lake County District Attorney David Yocom.
Salt Lake Legal Defenders, Mitchell's taxpayer-funded attorneys, have been trying to keep the news media from Mitchell's competency hearings. They claim access would expose prejudicial information and hurt Mitchell's chances for a fair trial if he were found mentally competent.
Earlier this week, the high court ruled that attorneys for news reporters had the right to argue for open access to the competency hearings.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
