Gag Order Lifted in Benton Case

An appeals court lifted on Friday a gag order that prevented attorneys for a teenage girl accused of fatally stabbing a gang member from commenting on some aspects of her case, including plea negotiations and the potential outcome of her retrial in January.

The unanimous decision by the Fourteenth Court of Appeals means Ashley Paige Benton and her attorneys are free to talk publicly about such matters — including whether they believe prosecutors can secure a conviction — without fear of sanctions by a judge.