Judge in Vance Boelter murder trial removes temporary gag order

Jeff Day, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Oct 7, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — The judge presiding over the Vance Boelter murder trial has removed a temporary gag order and is asking that all parties in the case “exercise appropriate restraint and judgement” when making any statements to the public.

Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, spoke to the media after a hearing last month and were critical of Boelter and his defense strategy. Shortly thereafter, Boelter’s attorneys sought a gag order against the Hoffmans.

Prosecutors for Hennepin County didn’t object to the gag order, as long as it also extended to Boelter, who had been posting lengthy writings to an online blog through an intermediary. Some of those posts discussed his federal plea deal and the police investigation of his crimes with a conspiratorial tinge.

Hennepin County Judge Juan Hoyos granted the temporary restraining order on Sept. 30 against everyone involved in the case.

In removing it, he wrote that it, “should be construed as an invitation to make inflammatory, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate statements relating to the case or the issues in the case.”

Hoyos asked that “all parties exercise appropriate restraint and judgement” in any future statements and that the court reserved the right to take “appropriate action to protect the integrity and fairness” of the legal process.

Boelter pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year to killing Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting the Hoffmans, and attempting to shoot their daughter, Hope. He was given two consecutive life prison sentences plus 40 years. His state trial features several additional charges and, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, seeks to add another layer of criminal accountability should Boelter ever be pardoned for his federal crimes.

The constitutionality of the gag order was part of a court hearing on Monday, where defense attorney Bryan Leary argued that Boelter has a right to post about his case and that case law largely supports that even “extensive publicity” does not automatically create an unjust trial.

Hennepin County prosecutors pointed out that Boelter’s defense team was seemingly switching positions.

“I believe we are here on a defense motion to restrict extrajudicial speech by witnesses,” prosecutor Paige Starkey said. “The tenor and substance of counsel’s argument seems to be fighting against an order that they, at least in part, requested.”

Leary countered, saying the reason they brought the motion was because the Hoffmans comments were “a direct attack against Mr. Boelter.”

Boelter’s trial, which was set to start on Nov. 2, was delayed this week to May, to give his defense team time to examine an “exorbitant amount” of investigative evidence and to make sure that any state legislators who might be called as victim-witnesses are not in session.